New Jersey Devils veterans Ondrej Palat, Curtis Lazar, Timo Meier, and Erik Haula spoke about their self-care practices and the most crucial factors in being a professional athlete: sleep, nutrition, exercise, or mental health practices.

The importance of self-care in hockey cannot be understated.

While some associate self-care with a spa day, self-care is much more than that. It is a way to maintain one's mental health and overall well-being. It includes choices we make daily, such as the food we put into our bodies, how much exercise we partake in, and the amount of sleep we give our bodies night after night.

Over the past several weeks, various New Jersey Devils players, including Ondrej Palat, Curtis Lazar, Timo Meier, and Erik Haula, have spoken about their self-care practices and what is the most important factor when it comes to being a professional athlete: sleep, nutrition, exercise, or mental health practices.

"You can't just focus on one thing," Palat said. "It is kind of everything."

Last week, Palat finished his 12th season in the NHL. Reflecting on his younger years, he spoke about all the little details he wished he incorporated into his routine all those years ago.

"When you're younger, you think the body is going to feel great forever," he continued. "I kind of wish when I was in my early 20s, I did more stretching and more strengthening, like I do now. I wish I did it more."

"I thought I was good, but I would tell myself to be better."

Meier agreed with his teammate that the three keys are nutrition, sleep, and taking care of your well-being.

"The mental part is a really big thing. If you feel mentally strong, automatically, your body is going to feel better, too," the Swiss winger said.

When it comes to his routine, the 27-year-old keeps it simple.

"I'm not one of these guys with fancy routines, to be honest. I like to keep it pretty meat and potatoes," Meier said. "I keep it old school. I ride the bike for a bit and stretch, and that's it."

"Have a good meal, have some Swiss cheese and chocolate, and you're ready to go," he added with a laugh.

Meier emphasized the importance of nutrition (Swiss cheese and chocolate aside), especially with their grueling 82-game schedule. While their food and meal plans are critical, two young dads notice a significant difference when their bodies get enough sleep.

"Especially now with two young kids, I try to sleep as much as I can, which is not a lot. I think that's when I notice the biggest difference," Haula said.

"For me it is always sleep," Lazar added. "I have had to adjust that a little bit. Life with kids, that changes."

Like Meier, Lazar also acknowledged how important nutrition is.

"The schedule is so condensed, and this year it feels like we have been here, there, everywhere, back-to-backs, travel, you name it. Carbohydrates are a big thing. For what we go through day-to-day, we have to have them."

Throughout a season, fans will hear coaches and general managers talk about young players learning what it takes to become pros and a lot of that encompasses their off-ice habits and how they take care of themselves when they are away from the rink. 

In part two of this self-care series, readers will hear from Kaapo Kahkonen about his practice habits as a goaltender.