Cheri D. Mah, M.S., is a Clinical and Translational Research Fellow at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Human Performance Center and UCSF School of Medicine. Over the past decade, her research has focused on the relationship between sleep and performance in elite athletes. In particular, Cheri’s research investigates the impact of sleep on cognitive and physical performance across a wide range of sports. Cheri has focused on studying the possible benefits of sleep extension to reduce negative consequences of chronic sleep loss on daytime functioning as well as potentially enhance performance.
Cheri currently serves as the sleep expertise for the Nike Performance Council. Cheri also consults with professional teams in the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB as well as international sports organizations on optimal performance and recovery strategies. She has worked with professional teams such as the World Champion Golden State Warriors (NBA), San Jose Sharks (NHL), Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL), Toronto Blue Jays (MLB), among other teams.
Cheri works with elite athletes across various sports and has developed comprehensive sleep programs for professional and collegiate sports. These programs integrate sleep education, technology, and applied sleep research to optimize performance and recovery. At Stanford, she advises varsity teams on optimal sleep, scheduling, and peak performance, as well as leads the sleep expertise on the Stanford Performance Enhancement Alliance, a novel multidisciplinary approach to athlete performance. Her research and work have been featured in national and international media including the NY Times, ESPN, NPR, NBC Bay Area, Time, CBS, BBC, Runner’s World, National Geographic Adventure, and the Wall Street Journal.
Her experience also includes working with companies such as Gatorade, ESPN, Google, and various sleep technology startups. Cheri is active in a wide range of teaching and novel community outreach programs on the dangers of sleep deficits and the benefits of healthy sleep. Cheri received her M.S. in Biological Sciences at Stanford University. She received her B.A.S. dual degree in Biological Sciences and Psychology, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford University. Cheri is currently pursuing her M.D. and is in her 4th year at the University of California at San Francisco. She is currently a research fellow with the UCSF Clinical and Translational Science Institute and the UCSF Human Performance Center.
Contact Information:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @Cheri_Mah