After two retirements and a gig as an ESPN analyst Urban Meyer made the transition from head coach of the Florida Gators to coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, where he has remained since 2012.

Meyer has openly discussed the stress that led him to step away from coaching the Gators in 2010, but in a recent in-depth interview with Bleacher Report Magazine's Brandon Sneed, the coach and his wife, Shelley, opened up about just how difficult it became for him to function.

"One a night at first, and then two, washing them down with beer," Meyer's wife, Shelley, told Bleacher Report about Urban's dependency on the sleeping pill Ambien. “Every night. And it’s highly addictive. He couldn’t sleep without it.”

The coach said he agreed to the interview in order to increase awareness about mental health, and reach out to those in all professions that may be dealing with issues. Shelley told Bleacher Report that she could see the former Florida coach breaking down mentally and physically. However, Urban did not make his health a priority.

"I hate to admit that, but yeah, 15 years ago, maybe 10 years ago, I would’ve been like, C’mon, man, toughen up," Meyer told Bleacher Report. What the hell’s wrong with you?”

Meyer's strong desire to be the best negatively impacted his health.

“It was just a big mountain of pressure, stress, lack of control and not accepting what he couldn’t control," Shelley told Bleacher Report. "He was not accepting that he couldn’t control everything. He’s a perfectionist. He wants to win every game. He wants to win every championship. And that’s just not even clear thinking. You can’t. You just can’t."

Now that Meyer has prioritized his health, he has been able to channel his aggressive attitude into a positive, while maintaining a better balance.

“The compulsive, obsessive, high-end, achieving people, those are the ones that keep pushing harder," Urban told Bleacher Report. "I’ll name you the greatest players I ever coached, and every one of them have that same trait. So I don’t think it’s an illness. I think you have to be aware…that you have that trait, and how to manage it. But look at it not as an illness, but as a blessing that you somehow have to keep ahold of.”

So far this season, Meyer and the No. 3 Buckeyes are 2-0, with a big road game Saturday against No. 14 Oklahoma. The game begins at 6:30 p.m. CT, and it will be televised on FOX.