Sleep expert explains how to watch the World Cup without wrecking your routine

With the 2026 World Cup creating major time-zone headaches for hundreds of thousands of Israelis, many fans will need to stay up through the night to watch matches and then go to work the next day. In a radio interview on Kan Reshet Bet, Dr. Amit Green, a psychologist and sleep specialist at Assuta Hospital, said the problem is not classic jet lag, but a kind of sleep deprivation chosen by the viewer, which can build into chronic sleep loss over about a month.

Green warned that staying awake night after night during the tournament can turn people into, in his words, “a bit like zombies,” and can affect almost every part of life. He said it can hurt attention, concentration, decision-making, driving ability, and emotional state, and make people more irritable and negative.

At the same time, he said football fans do not need to give up on the event, which comes only once every four years. He recommended starting the day with a good shower and two cups of coffee, including a short espresso, black coffee or a cappuccino, to increase alertness.

Green also stressed the importance of morning light, saying sunlight suppresses melatonin and helps reset the biological clock. A half hour to an hour outdoors can help. He added that a 30 to 40 minute nap before a late game can also work as a “sleep snack” that helps viewers stay awake during the match.