Here's How to Get Through Switzerland's Late-Night World Cup Match

Here's what it's all about

• The World Cup quarterfinal match between Switzerland and Argentina poses a challenge for fans: Kickoff is at 3 a.m.
• The sleep researcher recommends getting as much sleep as possible before the match or taking a short power nap to prepare.
• After the game, it's important to get plenty of rest and exercise caution when out on the road to make up for the lack of sleep.

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Switzerland's quarterfinal match against Argentina begins at 3 a.m. on Sunday morning. This is a historic event, as the Swiss national team has not hasn’t been in a World Cup quarterfinal since 1954.

However: “As far as our sleep is concerned, the game is taking place at the worst possible time,” says sleep researcher Christine Blume of the University of Basel. “At this time of night, it’s especially hard to stay awake; every cell in the body is crying out for sleep.”

That probably won't stop many people from cheering on the national team. The researcher advises getting as much sleep as possible before the match. “Any sleep is better than no sleep,” she says. For example, if you go to bed at 11 p.m. and get up half an hour before kickoff, you’ll still get three and a half hours of rest.

A nap together in a jersey

Christine Blume advises against going to bed as early as Saturday afternoon in an attempt to squeeze in eight hours of sleep before the World Cup game.

“If you go to bed too early, it’s hard to fall asleep,” she says. On top of that, for some people, the nervousness and excitement before the game make it even harder to fall asleep. “It’s better to go to bed when you start to feel tired and see how much sleep you get.”

For anyone who wants to secure a spot at the public viewing event as early as Saturday evening, however, that probably won’t be possible. A power nap might help here. “If you can just rest your head on the table for a moment at the bar, that’s helpful too,” says the expert. “It would be nice if the music were turned down for a few hours so everyone in their jerseys could take a nap together,” says Christine Blume with a laugh.

Nati-Spiel um 03:00 Uhr

Bern, Basel und Zürich bewilligen Freinacht bei WM-Viertelfinal

Caution is especially important after the game. You have to be very careful on the way home. “When you haven’t slept enough, your concentration suffers and you’re more prone to making mistakes. There’s also an increased risk of brief lapses in attention or micro-sleep.” Combining this with alcohol amplifies the effect. The sleep researcher advises walking home or taking public transportation and leaving the car behind.

Just a quick nap after the match

At home, soccer fans can take a nap. But not for too long! Depending on what time you get home, you can treat yourself to a four- to five-hour nap. But it’s important to set an alarm.

“It’s better to sleep a little less so that you’re awake long enough until it’s bedtime again in the evening,” says Christine Blume. “In the evening, you need that urge to sleep—the exhaustion that builds up throughout the day—to be able to fall asleep easily again.” That way, the World Cup night won’t completely disrupt your sleep rhythm.

During the day, you could take your mind off things with activities like a trip to the pool. Since lack of sleep also affects your sense of fullness, you might feel hungrier after the quarterfinal game and have a greater craving for high-calorie foods. “But even that isn’t so bad for once,” says the expert.

The good news: The body can usually handle a night of poor sleep just fine. “You should just make sure to get enough sleep overall afterward to make up for the shortfall.”