Sleep is one of the most essential factors for first responders, who endure long shifts, irregular schedules, and high-stress environments, yet it is often neglected. Studies indicate that 85% of first responders experience sleep deprivation during 24-hour shifts, which results in slower reaction times, impaired decision-making, and a higher risk of injury. Tools like sleep masks can help enhance recovery by blocking daylight, stimulating melatonin production, and improving alertness and reaction time upon waking.

The impact of disrupted sleep doesn’t end with first responders; it extends into their households as well. Research shows that the spillover effects of job-related fatigue and trauma can strain relationships, as loved ones deal with the anxiety of not knowing when their partner is in harm’s way or manage home responsibilities while the first responder recovers from long, irregular shifts. Supporting sleep health, therefore, not only boosts the resilience of first responders but also helps protect the well-being of their families.

“First responders put everything on the line for us, often at the expense of their own health and recovery,” said Lori Oliver, Co-Founder of The Inactive Company. “Our mission has always been to use athlete-grade sleep technology to help people perform at their best. Partnering with the First Responders Foundation allows us to expand that mission to those who need it most — those who serve and protect our communities.”

The First Responders Foundation, whose mission is to serve and honor all First Responders, Veterans, and their families, as well as build appreciation and respect for their work and enhance public safety, strongly believes in the connection between sleep, resilience, and safety.

“Quality sleep isn’t a luxury for first responders; it is a necessity,” said Todd Sears, President of the First Responders Foundation. “This partnership with The Inactive Company highlights the importance of sleep health for first responders, while also providing a resource to continue our mission of protecting those who protect us.”

The Inactivators Performance Sleep Mask features patented technology, including complete light-blocking properties, pressure-free eye zones to protect REM cycles, thermoregulation to prevent overheating, and a secure anatomical fit for reliable use in demanding environments.

For more information and to purchase Inactivators, visit https://inactiveco.com.

About The Inactive Company

The Inactive Company is a sleep performance brand dedicated to developing technology and tools that enhance rest and recovery for everyone. Its innovative sleep mask, Inactivators, is a scientifically backed solution to improve sleep and is trusted by professional and collegiate sports organizations. By emphasizing the science of sleep and the power of intentional design, the company aims to create a world of well-rested individuals.

Since March 2022, The Inactive Company has worked with the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), integrating Inactivators into key initiatives such as the NFL Draft, NFLPA Rookie Premiere, the NFLPA PAIR Program for injured reserve players, the IR Guide, and other health and wellness programs. This is the second year the NFLPA has chosen Inactivators as a performance and wellness tool for teams competing abroad, reflecting the increasing recognition of sleep as a vital factor in athletic success.

The Inactivators were designed for elite athletes, featuring patented Tru-dark technology for full light blocking, pressure-free eye zones to protect REM sleep, thermoregulation to prevent overheating, self-adjusting straps, and an anatomical fit. With team permission, masks can be customized with team logos, highlighting their role as essential performance equipment.

“Players tell us they know sleep is the ultimate performance enhancer, impacting everything from reaction times to injury prevention and recovery,” said Lori Oliver, co-founder of The Inactive Company. “But they struggle to prioritize it, especially with late-night device use and demanding schedules. Inactivators give them a simple, effective tool to achieve high-quality sleep, whether at home or on the road.”

Scientific research underscores the importance of sleep for athletes. Studies show that poor sleep impairs reaction times, decision-making, and immune function while increasing injury risk. A 2023 study in Sports Medicine found that sleep interventions, like those provided by Inactivators, improve performance and recovery in athletes. 

“Coaches have told us they need external reinforcement to emphasize sleep’s importance to players,” said Jill MacRae, co-founder of The Inactive Company. “By integrating team logos and making Inactivators part of the performance kit, we’re helping players see sleep as a competitive edge, especially during the challenges of international travel.”

International games present unique challenges such as disruptions to circadian rhythms, unpredictable lighting conditions, and physiological stress from transatlantic flights. Inactivators’ ergonomic, travel-friendly design ensures consistent, high-quality sleep, supporting melatonin production and uninterrupted REM cycles essential for memory consolidation, reaction time, and physical recovery. 

By providing players with Inactivators, the NFLPA emphasizes maintaining competitive integrity and player safety worldwide. This collaboration highlights a commitment to using advanced, science-based tools to help NFLPA player members perform at their best, properly recover and return home healthy.

The nine teams playing overseas during the 2025 season include Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Los Angeles Rams, Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders. 

About The Inactive Company

The Inactive Company is a sleep performance brand dedicated to developing technology and tools that enhance rest and recovery for everyone. Its innovative sleep mask, Inactivators, is a scientifically backed solution to improve sleep and is trusted by professional and collegiate sports organizations. By emphasizing the science of sleep and the power of intentional design, the company aims to create a world of well-rested individuals. 

When the NFL showed interest in sleep last year, it was no pump fake. For a second straight season, the league will make Inactivators Performance Sleep Masks available to select teams. 

From The Inactive Company, an Atlanta-based sleep performance brand, Inactivators feature patented Tru-dark technology to block light, pressure-free eye zones to protect REM sleep, thermoregulation to suppress overheating and self-adjusting straps to fit comfortably around the face. 

“Players tell us they know sleep is the ultimate performance enhancer, impacting everything from reaction times to injury prevention and recovery,” said Lori Oliver, co-founder of The Inactive Company. “But they struggle to prioritize it, especially with late-night device use and demanding schedules. Inactivators give them a simple, effective tool to achieve high-quality sleep, whether at home or on the road.”

The brand will distribute 75 masks to each of the nine NFL teams traveling overseas during the 2025-26 season. That includes the New York Jets, Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts and Washington Commanders.

“Coaches have told us they need external reinforcement to emphasize sleep’s importance to players,” said Jill MacRae, co-founder of The Inactive Company. “By integrating team logos and making Inactivators part of the performance kit, we’re helping players see sleep as a competitive edge, especially during the challenges of international travel.”

The Inactive Company and football are well acquainted. Since 2022, The Inactive Company has supplied the NFL Draft, NFLPA Rookie Premiere, the NFLPA PAIR Program for injured reserve players, the IR Guide and other health and wellness programs with Inactivators. They’re also made available in more than a dozen college and NFL locker rooms. 

The brand formerly cited that elite athletes require 8.3 hours of sleep to feel rested but average just 6.7 hours due to pain, travel and screen exposure. Factors like disruptions to circadian rhythms and physiological stress from transatlantic flights also put their rest at risk. 

Sleep remains a focal point in football as the NFL and others continue to broaden their focus on wellness and recovery. The Denver Broncos and LA Rams recently tapped therapy brand Ammortal to enhance player recovery and improve sleep. Even former players like Todd Anderson are dedicating time and capital to the sector, co-founding wellness brand Dream & Performance Recovery, and delivering sleep-improving products to teams like the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Michigan State Spartans. The brand recently dropped a sleep-improving nasal strip as well. 

This interest in sleep among athletes also extends beyond the gridiron. Eight Sleep has teamed up with 300 athletes as ambassadors to highlight the role of sleep in recovery and performance, including Aaron Judge, Jimmy Butler, Charles Leclerc and the NFL’s Brock Purdy. 

The post New York Jets, LA Rams & Other NFL Teams To Use Sleep Masks appeared first on Athletech News.

Jill MacRae cofounded the Inactive Company, a business dedicated to helping customers improve their sleep quality. Their latest product, Inactivators, is a high-tech sleep mask that helps create an “optimal” sleeping environment: completely dark, comfortable and cool.

Inactivators have been used by college and pro football teams, including Georgia, Auburn, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants, Business Wire reported.

About Jill MacRae and the start of the Inactive Company

MacRae moved to Columbus when she was 4 years old from Miami, Florida. She found her love of wellness from her dad, who was a trauma surgeon.

“I always knew that [wellness] was a priority,” she told the Ledger-Enquirer, “but it wasn’t my focus until later in life.”

MacRae graduated from Hardaway High School and earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Georgia.

MacRae had a decorated career spanning over 25 years in sales and marketing at major brands such as Spanx, Dunkin’ Brands and Starbucks. While working at Spanx, she met her future Inactive cofounder, Lori Oliver.

“We were traveling around the world and making all sorts of products, and we were always complaining about sleep,” MacRae said. “We can never get enough sleep.”

MacRae said they tried many other methods to improve their sleep: gummies, vitamins, mattresses and pillows. Nothing worked.

“Lori called me one day and said, ‘I’ve got it. I got the solution to sleep better we’ve always been talking about,’” MacRae said. “‘I want to re-engineer a 100-year-old product, just like Sara [Blakely] did for Spanx with the girdle. I want to do it for a sleep mask.’”

Oliver brought in MacRae to help build the company in 2019. MacRae said the Inactivators took about a year and a half to perfect.

“We’re not doctors, and we’re not sleep experts, but we knew from being consumers,” MacRae said. “We knew what worked and what didn’t work. So validating with partners like the Emory sleep study clinic as well as the Harvard Sleep Symposium on what the criteria your body needs to fall and stay asleep, and translating that into tangible features in a mask, was probably the hardest thing.”

How the Inactivators sleep mask revolutionizes sleep quality

Since putting them on the market, the Inactivators have “taken off like wildfire,” MacRae said. The Inactivators have been popular among professional athletes, especially players who normally don’t like wearable technology like Apple Watches or Fitbits.

“[The NFL Players Association] has been great partners in giving us feedback on how they are using not just the sleep mask but also in helping to create sleep culture for these young athletes, these young men, who are high performers and need to stay healthy,” MacRae said.

The Inactivators have a few main features. First, the mask provides 100% darkness and blackout, which studies say helps the brain release melatonin, a vital hormone that helps with the sleep-wake cycle. The mask also has a temperature-regulating material that helps absorb heat that rises and falls with the circadian rhythm. MacRae said feedback from consumer testing showed that the Inactivators’ temperature control technology helps customers sleep 20-30 minutes longer on average.

The Inactivators also have enough space for users to open their eyes under their mask.

“We found that in working with Emory University’s Veterans Program, the Wounded Warriors program, we learned that a lot of people won’t wear a sleep mask because they’re afraid,” MacRae said. “They’re afraid they’re going to wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to open their eyes. The pressure from a lot of the sleep masks that are already on the market frightens some people.”

The Inactivators cost $45, according to their website.

The Inactive Company is expanding its product line to include pajamas and other products, MacRae said.

Specifically, they are turning to Atlanta brand The Inactive Company, who will be supplying its patented sleep masks to nine professional football teams traveling overseas for games this year. Those teams, which include the Atlanta Falcons and the Miami Dolphins, will each receive 75 masks that support a “drug-free way to improve sleep, enhance performance, and support recovery during international travel.”

Hypepotamus readers will remember when The Inactive Company launched its Inactivators’ product early this year. Lori Oliver and Jill MacRae were executives at shapewear giant Spanx before launching The Inactive Company.

The two launched the new company because they could not find an ergonomic, travel-friendly, and comfortable sleep mask.

Building Products For Athletes

Oliver and MacRae first connected with the NFL through the NFLPA Driven Program, its Playmaker incubator program. While the Inactivators can be used by anyone looking to improve their sleep, the company has found a particularly strong audience within athletics.

“We conducted a three-week research study with the University of Georgia football team. Starting with a sleep presentation, Inactivators masks, and a pre-research questionnaire to assess sleep attitudes and behaviors. At the end of the study, players completed a post-study questionnaire. Eighty percent of players slept longer and better and wanted to continue using Inactivators. The CPT Labs test was a two-week study involving adults who slept fewer than seven hours per night. We found positive, statistically significant results, with participants experiencing less difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, and waking too early when using Inactivators. The sleep masks also helped these adults become more satisfied with their sleep. The Emory study, approved by the IRB (Internal Review Board), involved post-9/11 veterans who used Inactivators for two weeks, with one-third noticing immediate sleep improvements,” the co-founders told Hypepotamus.

“The Inactivators were designed for elite athletes, featuring patented Tru-dark technology for full light blocking, pressure-free eye zones to protect REM sleep, thermoregulation. This prevents overheating, self-adjusting straps, and an anatomical fit,” the company added. “With team permission, masks can be customized with team logos, highlighting their role as essential performance equipment.”

Sleep is “the ultimate performance enhancer” and can help improve reaction times and prevent injury, Oliver added. “But [athletes] struggle to prioritize it, especially with late-night device use and demanding schedules. Inactivators give them a simple, effective tool to achieve high-quality sleep, whether at home or on the road.”

Alongside Oliver and MacRae, the company is made up of designers, marketers, IT, PR, and manufacturing professionals. To date, The Inactive Company has scaled without taking on outside capital.

When the NFL showed interest in sleep last year, it was no pump fake. For a second straight season, the league will make Inactivators Performance Sleep Masks available to select teams. 

From The Inactive Company, an Atlanta-based sleep performance brand, Inactivators feature patented Tru-dark technology to block light, pressure-free eye zones to protect REM sleep, thermoregulation to suppress overheating and self-adjusting straps to fit comfortably around the face. 

“Players tell us they know sleep is the ultimate performance enhancer, impacting everything from reaction times to injury prevention and recovery,” said Lori Oliver, co-founder of The Inactive Company. “But they struggle to prioritize it, especially with late-night device use and demanding schedules. Inactivators give them a simple, effective tool to achieve high-quality sleep, whether at home or on the road.”

The brand will distribute 75 masks to each of the nine NFL teams traveling overseas during the 2025-26 season. That includes the New York Jets, Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts and Washington Commanders.

“Coaches have told us they need external reinforcement to emphasize sleep’s importance to players,” said Jill MacRae, co-founder of The Inactive Company. “By integrating team logos and making Inactivators part of the performance kit, we’re helping players see sleep as a competitive edge, especially during the challenges of international travel.”

The Inactive Company and football are well acquainted. Since 2022, The Inactive Company has supplied the NFL Draft, NFLPA Rookie Premiere, the NFLPA PAIR Program for injured reserve players, the IR Guide and other health and wellness programs with Inactivators. They’re also made available in more than a dozen college and NFL locker rooms. 

The brand formerly cited that elite athletes require 8.3 hours of sleep to feel rested but average just 6.7 hours due to pain, travel and screen exposure. Factors like disruptions to circadian rhythms and physiological stress from transatlantic flights also put their rest at risk. 

Sleep remains a focal point in football as the NFL and others continue to broaden their focus on wellness and recovery. The Denver Broncos and LA Rams recently tapped therapy brand Ammortal to enhance player recovery and improve sleep. Even former players like Todd Anderson are dedicating time and capital to the sector, co-founding wellness brand Dream & Performance Recovery, and delivering sleep-improving products to teams like the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Michigan State Spartans. The brand recently dropped a sleep-improving nasal strip as well. 

This interest in sleep among athletes also extends beyond the gridiron. Eight Sleep has teamed up with 300 athletes as ambassadors to highlight the role of sleep in recovery and performance, including Aaron Judge, Jimmy Butler, Charles Leclerc and the NFL’s Brock Purdy. 

Since March 2022, The Inactive Company has worked with the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), integrating Inactivators into key initiatives such as the NFL Draft, NFLPA Rookie Premiere, the NFLPA PAIR Program for injured reserve players, the IR Guide, and other health and wellness programs. This is the second year the NFLPA has chosen Inactivators as a performance and wellness tool for teams competing abroad, reflecting the increasing recognition of sleep as a vital factor in athletic success.

The Inactivators were designed for elite athletes, featuring patented Tru-dark technology for full light blocking, pressure-free eye zones to protect REM sleep, thermoregulation to prevent overheating, self-adjusting straps, and an anatomical fit. With team permission, masks can be customized with team logos, highlighting their role as essential performance equipment.

“Players tell us they know sleep is the ultimate performance enhancer, impacting everything from reaction times to injury prevention and recovery,” said Lori Oliver, co-founder of The Inactive Company. “But they struggle to prioritize it, especially with late-night device use and demanding schedules. Inactivators give them a simple, effective tool to achieve high-quality sleep, whether at home or on the road.”

Scientific research underscores the importance of sleep for athletes. Studies show that poor sleep impairs reaction times, decision-making, and immune function while increasing injury risk. A 2023 study in Sports Medicine found that sleep interventions, like those provided by Inactivators, improve performance and recovery in athletes.

“Coaches have told us they need external reinforcement to emphasize sleep’s importance to players,” said Jill MacRae, co-founder of The Inactive Company. “By integrating team logos and making Inactivators part of the performance kit, we’re helping players see sleep as a competitive edge, especially during the challenges of international travel.”

International games present unique challenges such as disruptions to circadian rhythms, unpredictable lighting conditions, and physiological stress from transatlantic flights. Inactivators’ ergonomic, travel-friendly design ensures consistent, high-quality sleep, supporting melatonin production and uninterrupted REM cycles essential for memory consolidation, reaction time, and physical recovery.

By providing players with Inactivators, the NFLPA emphasizes maintaining competitive integrity and player safety worldwide. This collaboration highlights a commitment to using advanced, science-based tools to help NFLPA player members perform at their best, properly recover and return home healthy.

The nine teams playing overseas during the 2025 season include Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Los Angeles Rams, Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders.

About The Inactive Company

The Inactive Company is a sleep performance brand dedicated to developing technology and tools that enhance rest and recovery for everyone. Its innovative sleep mask, Inactivators, is a scientifically backed solution to improve sleep and is trusted by professional and collegiate sports organizations. By emphasizing the science of sleep and the power of intentional design, the company aims to create a world of well-rested individuals. For more information, visit https://inactiveco.com.

Oliver told 13WMAZ News, “Research has proven all other things being equal, when two teams are competing on game day, the team that slept better the night before will win.”

The Inactive Company partnered with First Presbyterian Day School in Macon, Ga., to find out just how much high school student-athletes are sleeping, and the answer turned out to be: not much.

13WMAZ News shared a study by the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine that found student-athletes need eight to 10 hours of sleep each night, but almost 80% of current student-athletes are falling short of that metric. 

“I’m pretty busy. I don’t really get much time to sleep…sometimes less than five hours of sleep,” said Junior Ellison Dantes.

“Getting that eight plus hours is crucial to be able to come back and consistently train,” said First Presbyterian Day quarterback Major Simmons. 

Even the high school’s athletic trainer said, “If players don’t get enough sleep, it definitely shows in their face. I can look at them and tell when they come into the training room.” 

The innovative sleep masks, designed specifically for athletes to get darker, longer sleep, have been picked up beyond the high school level as well. Oliver and MacRae have worked with universities like UGA and NFL teams, the Atlanta Falcons and the Kansas City Chiefs to share the power of a full night’s rest. 

“High performers know,” Oliver told the Athens Banner-Herald. “People that have to use their bodies and their brains at a high level every day know the level of performance they can achieve starts the night before.”

The company, The Inactive Company, was co-founded by Lori Oliver and Jill MacRae.

The Inactivators mask focuses on providing complete darkness to promote melatonin production and better sleep.

Two University of Georgia graduates have taken a common product – the sleeping mask – and reinvented it in a way to make it more comfortable, a better fit, and energize its purpose, which is a good night’s rest.

Lori Oliver, who grew up in Athens, and her business partner, Jill MacRae, formed The Inactive Company to produce and market the masks.

Their mask, called Inactivators, is already proving beneficial to athletes, who not only train hard, but need those hours of sleep to perform their best, according to Oliver.

“Athletes were among the first targets and first to get it,” Oliver said

They approached Ron Courson, the executive associate athletic director at UGA, and showed him their prototype mask before it was publicly marketed.Looking for a free mini puzzle? Play the USA TODAY Quick Cross now.

“Georgia was going to one of the playoff games and they bought our prototype. They have been a customer ever since,” Oliver said.

Since then, other college teams such as Clemson, Tennessee and Auburn, and NFL teams from the Atlanta Falcons to the Kansas City Chiefs have ordered Inactivators for their players.

Oliver said many people know sleep is important, but not many know how to prioritize it.

“High performers know that. People that have to use their bodies and their brains at a high level every day know the level of performance they can achieve starts the night before,” she said.

Oliver grew up in Athens, the daughter of UGA professor Ernie Bundschuh, who moved his family to Athens from Maryland in the 1970s to join what is now known as the Department of Kinesiology at UGA.

She was in the second grade at the time and over the years through her father she met many of the coaches and staff in the athletic department. Oliver’s mother, Haydee Bundschuh, was an administrator for the state health department.

After graduating Cedar Shoals High School in the class of 1980, Oliver went to Clemson for two years, but transferred to UGA where she earned a degree in journalism.

After college, she moved to Los Angeles, California, where she worked as a communications specialist for the company TRW, known for its national military defense and aerospace work with the government.

But it was with TRW that Oliver moved into a company section that created a start-up company to consolidate services in the residential real estate industry.UGA Sleep Study: UGA study: Lack of sleep disrupts key brain functions in adolescents

“I was on a marketing team for a startup that grew into $360 million in about three years,” she said. “That’s where I got my first taste of entrepreneurship.”

She married in Los Angeles to a police detective, but when that marriage ended in divorce, she moved back to Georgia, where she reunited with her high school sweetheart, David Oliver, a graduate of her collegiate rival Georgia Tech.

“We’ve been married for 31 years,” she said.

In Georgia, she began working with advertising agencies that worked with Coca-Cola, Home Depot, and the Olympic Games when they were held in Atlanta. With three children and turning 50, Oliver said she decided to become an entrepreneur. She created a line of clothing that brought her in contact with Sara Blakely, the founder of a company called SPANX Inc.

With experience in starting a business under her belt, Oliver went out on her own. Then the dark mask idea came to light.

“It was intriguing because I’ve been an insomniac myself. I struggled with sleep and what I realized was the sleep mask is this 100-year-old product that had never seen any innovation,” she said. “I looked at it from a product development standpoint and used some of my SPANX knowledge because we worked with so many technical fibers.”

She joined with Jill MacRae, who became friends from their days working with SPANX. MacRae, who lives in Atlanta, is a marketing executive who co-founded The Inactive Company with Oliver. She has an extensive marketing work history with numerous companies from Starbucks to Planet Hollywood.

The pair of businesswomen are now promoting a solution to improved sleeping.

“If you have complete darkness that will signal your body and brain to produce more melatonin so you sleep better, but these flimsy little masks on the market or the big heavy stiff ones didn’t allow people to get a complete blackout,” she said.

And from the research into a common product, “we created the performance sleep mask,” she said.