Worried about Feeling Tired after the Big Game? These tips will help get you straight back in the game

so you feel fighting fit on Monday morning!

3 min

Freunde schauen zusammen ein Football Spiel an

©svetikd

By Kristina Lauer
February 10, 2023

Why trust us?

February 13th is the biggest date in the American Football calendar. Unfortunately, fans across the pond will need plenty of stamina: The time difference means the live broadcast starts shortly after midnight on Sunday and is scheduled to last around 4 hours, until the early hours of Monday morning. Not ideal! But fear not: We’ve put together five top tips to make sure you wake up on Monday morning feeling refreshed and ready for the week ahead.

PS: If you’re worried you might fall asleep in front of the TV and miss Rihanna’s halftime performance, we recommend getting a workout in just before the game starts. Exercising increases your body temperature and makes you feel awake and alert, so you’ll be match fit and ready for the long night ahead!

#1 Drink Enough Fluids During the Evening

That means water—not just beer. Alcohol drains your body of fluids and if you drink too much, you’re guaranteed to wake up with a hangover on Monday morning. If you want to enjoy a beer or two with the game, make sure you’re drinking enough water too. You probably know that already. But what many people don’t realize is that alcohol plays havoc with your different stages of sleep. If you’ve had a few too many beers, you’ll fall asleep faster, but you’ll wake more often during the night. One of the reasons for this is that alcohol reduces the time you spend in the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage of sleep. This is the deepest stage of sleep and also when you dream. It has a restorative effect on your body and plays an important role in improving your memory and concentration. If you don’t get enough REM sleep, you’ll feel tired and unfocused the next day. So it’s a good idea to switch to non-alcoholic options from time to time—and avoid alcohol completely after midnight if you can.

#2 Get Some Healthy Snacks In

Pizza, chicken wings, and burgers are all part of the big game experience. We know that and we’re not saying you should deprive yourself. But it’s definitely worth checking out some of the healthier alternatives to the fast-food classics, as they are more nutritious and way less calorific. Here are some of our favorite big game snacks for you to try on the big night. Remember: Too much fatty food in the evening can upset your stomach and disrupt your sleep.

#3 Kick off Monday Morning With Some Exercise

After such a late night, you might not feel like a 60-minute workout. But just 15 minutes of gentle stretching or a few morning exercises will help get your circulation going. A short stroll in the fresh air is also a great way to wake yourself up. If you can, it’s best to exercise in daylight, because this helps your body break down melatonin (sleep hormone) and also activates your sympathetic nervous system, which gives your body an energy boost.

#4 Eat a Balanced Breakfast

When you’ve had too little sleep, your body needs energy and you feel hungry. Instead of grabbing a stack of pastries from the bakery around the corner, prepare yourself a balanced breakfast that will keep you feeling fuller for longer and stop your energy levels from dipping. A balanced breakfast includes high-quality proteins (such as eggs and cottage cheese), complex carbohydrates (such as oatmeal and wholegrain bread), and healthy fats (such as nuts and avocado). And if you think you’re not going to be in the mood for cooking first thing in the morning, just make sure you prepare your food the day before. Then you can stay a bit longer in bed! Check out our 3 Healthy Grab-And-Go Breakfast Ideas to Make Your Life Easier for inspiration.

#5 Try Green Tea Instead of Coffee

Coffee is a great pick-me-up, but only in moderation. Green tea is a good alternative, because it also contains caffeine, but unlike coffee, its stimulating effect lasts for longer. This is because the tannins in the tea, such as catechins, bind together with the caffeine in the tea water. This means the caffeine enters your bloodstream via your intestines, rather than being absorbed immediately through your stomach. This delay means the stimulation effect with green tea is much subtler than with coffee.

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