’20-minute’ method to feel less tired after England v Mexico game
England vs Mexico is set to be broadcast at 1am on Monday (Image: SWNS)
The England vs Mexico match is set to be broadcast at 1am BST on Monday, with the Government confirming that pubs screening the game can remain open until 5am. However, those facing an early start the following morning may well be questioning whether forgoing a decent night’s sleep is truly worth it.
We put the question to Dr Todd Green — is there a way to enjoy the best of both worlds? The lead GP at digital health clinic Kry Livi believes fans needn’t necessarily choose between watching the football and feeling fully functional the next day. Here are his top tips for cheering on England while still making it into work on Monday morning.
How to prepare for watching England at 1am
Build up your sleep bank
Dr Todd Green said: “One late night really isn’t the problem. It’s stringing three or four together that starts to affect your concentration, your mood and your immune system.
Fans at Luna Springs in Birmingham during the England v DR Congo World Cup 2026 match (Image: SWNS)
“Think of sleep like a bank account,” he explains. “If you know you’re going to make a withdrawal on match night, make some deposits beforehand. Going to bed even 30 to 45 minutes earlier in the nights running up to a late game can make a real difference to how you cope.”
So reining in any late nights on Friday and Saturday may well have been the secret to getting through the match unscathed. While it’s too late to act on that particular advice now, there are plenty of other measures that could still prove helpful.
“You can’t fully pre-load sleep, but prioritising recovery sleep in the days that follow helps your body bounce back faster,” the doctor said. He recommended being selective about which matches were truly worth staying up for.
“A well-timed nap is one of the most underrated tools in the box,” said Dr Green, the lead GP at Kry Livi – a digital health clinic. “Get it wrong, though, and you’ll be wide awake at 2am wondering why you’re not tired.”
Dr Todd Green (Image: Dr Todd Green/SWNS)
He suggested keeping naps to no more than 20 minutes: “That’s just long enough to take the edge off fatigue and sharpen your alertness, without tipping into the deeper sleep stages that leave you groggy and disoriented.”
He further stressed that you should always set an alarm – “don’t rely on waking up naturally”.
“Timing matters, too. A nap between roughly 1pm and 3pm aligns with the body’s natural early-afternoon dip, making it both easier to fall asleep and easier to wake up feeling refreshed,” Dr Green said. “Napping any later than this risks disrupting your night-time sleep, which is the last thing you need if you’ve already been up past midnight watching football.”
“Caffeine is not the enemy. But it does need a bit of respect,” the doctor advised. “There’s a tendency to reach for coffee the moment tiredness hits. But if you’re drinking it too late in the day, it can seriously interfere with your sleep even once the match is over.
“Caffeine has a half-life of around five to six hours, which means a coffee at 10pm is still working its way through your system at 3 or 4 in the morning.
“As a rough guide, try to keep caffeine consumption to before 3pm if you’re planning to sleep by midnight. Don’t underestimate a regular cup of tea either. It has enough caffeine to help you stay alert, but tends to be kinder on the system than a double espresso late at night.
“And once the final whistle goes, a herbal tea, such as chamomile or valerian, can genuinely help signal to your brain that it’s time to wind down. The ritual alone is worth something.”
Many with an early start on Monday morning will be wondering whether sacrificing the sleep is really worth it (Image: SWNS)
Eat well and you will feel it the next day
“Late nights and big-match tension are practically designed to make you eat badly,” Dr Green said. “The adrenaline makes it hard to notice you are full. The hour means your body is less efficient at processing a sugar spike. And, let’s be honest, nobody is reaching for a handful of blueberries when their team concedes in the 89th minute.”
The doctor highlighted the stark contrast between a proper meal consumed before kick-off and two hours of mindlessly picking at salt, high-sugar snacks: “The latter will spike your blood sugar, cause an energy crash and make it harder to sleep properly even when you do get to bed.”
He also reminded fans to drink water: “Mild dehydration makes fatigue feel noticeably worse, so keep a glass nearby throughout the evening.”
