Kolkata: Take care when you binge on midnight football over the next five weeks. Staying up all night to watch Messi, Ronaldo and Mbappe weave magic on the turf could be taking a toll on the health of thousands of football fans across Kolkata, who are waking up groggy and dragging themselves to work next morning with severe sleep deprivation, warned doctors.
Doctor Recommendations for Safe Viewing
Take short naps in between matches, in case you are watching successive games and staying up all night, have an early dinner and drink enough water, apart from ensuring that you make up the lost sleeping time during the day, advise doctors. Do not stay up late on successive nights to watch the action, they also advised.
Fan Experiences
Brazil fan and football fanatic Kajal Saha – employee of a US firm – has already watched three late-night and an early-morning game, leaving him feeling weary. “I am trying to catch up on lost sleep through short power naps and plan to take a break before Brazil’s next match. This will be tough since all matches are being played late and I must begin work by 9 am. I am trying to reschedule some of my online meetings,” said Saha.
A 25-year-old IT professional, a Covid survivor, working from his home at Rajarhat, fell unconscious after watching consecutive late-night matches since June 11. The youngster believed that he could carry on with curtailed sleep. His blood pressure had dropped following severe sleep deprivation, said RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences intensivist Sauren Panja, who treated him. “Inadequate sleep can affect a range of health parameters irrespective of the weather. Other than blood pressure, it can affect your heart. For those with comorbidities, it can lead to a cardiac arrest or a brain stroke. Diabetics and those with hypertension are particularly vulnerable apart from Covid survivors,” said Panja.
Third-year Sarsuna College student Rishawv Sinhga felt uneasy after watching three matches in succession, including Brazil’s opening match. “I couldn’t sleep the rest of the night due to the excitement and felt very sick next morning. Since then, I have been watching late matches on alternative nights and trying to make up for the lost sleep by waking late,” he said.
Expert Advice
Football fans need not miss the excitement altogether, but they should be selective about the matches they watch, stay adequately hydrated, avoid excessive caffeine and heavy late-night meals, said BP Poddar Hospital physician Satyaki Basu.
“We need to sleep for 6-8 hours daily irrespective of the weather. I have come across several who have been struggling to work after staying up late. They have been losing focus and concentration and suffering from severe bouts of headache,” said internal medicine consultant Arindam Biswas.
Short-term sleep deprivation may not be harmful for the young and healthy, but inadequate sleep for more than a week could be risky for all, said Apollo Multispecialty Hospital critical care consultant Suresh Ramasubban. “Sleep deprivation can trigger a range of illnesses, from cardiac issues, blood pressure, raise sugar levels, cause anxiety, stress and depression,” said Ramasubban.
