Are you staying up to see Portugal? Psychologist explains impact on sleep

Din a few hours, the national team is back on the field for the World Cup game against Colombia. Given the time difference, since the departure takes place in Miami, this way will be broadcast from 12:30. 

In declarations to Lifestyle to Minute, Teresa Rebelo Pinto, psychologist and somnologist, founder of the Teresa Rebelo Pinto Clinic, spoke about the effects this game may have on the Portuguese sleep, leaving some recommendations. 

Can a single sleepless night due to a football game really make a difference the next day?

Absolutely. It may seem that “just a few hours” will not have much effect, but that is not true. Sleep is essential for brain function and body balance. When we steal hours of sleep, there are several neurological and physiological functions that start to be less efficient. It becomes more difficult to keep focus and attention. Memory, learning and the ability to solve problems and planning also resent. And emotional balance is also affected, increasing irritability or impulsiveness. 

When there is strong emotional involvement, substances such as adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol are released and these increase heart rate, blood pressure and general alertnessWhy, after an exciting game, do many people have trouble falling asleep?

Because the organism doesn't automatically shut down when the game is over. When there is strong emotional involvement, substances such as adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol are released and these increase heart rate, blood pressure and general alertness. Now, this state of physiological activation combined with the active processing of the event (the moves, the goals...) hinders the transition to sleep. Moreover, with this intense emotional activation also rises body temperature, which is the opposite of what should occur for sleep to arise.

Another factor should be added: exposure to the lights on the screens where we see the games or where we consult the news, statistics on players or comments on social media, can reduce the production of melatonin, the hormone that signals to the body that it is time to prepare for sleep. 

What strategies allow us to enjoy the games at dawn without questioning a good night's sleep? 

Watching games at dawn without significantly compromising sleep depends mainly on ensuring that you sleep enough, although with some deregulation of the biological clock.

Ideally, it is preferable to see at this time only the really important games, ensuring that later there is time to sleep. It is equally important to promote a routine after the game that helps reduce the physiological and emotional stimulation and activation that has happened. For example, we can reduce exposure to intense light during and after the game, avoid additional stimuli at the end (such as social networks or prolonged analysis) and facilitate a calm transition to sleep with some relaxing activities.

The next day, there may be a short nap instead of sleeping too late, as this tends to disrupt the biological clock and impair the sleep of the next night. 

The determining factor is repetition: an occasional night with less sleep is usually tolerable, but when this pattern becomes frequent increases the risk of circadian misalignment and sleep difficulties.

A night out may seem harmless, but it forces the body to function outside its usual rhythmsAnd if you go to work the next day, is it possible to maintain effectiveness? 

It is difficult to maintain the same level of cognitive performance and emotional regulation after an evening. The risk of accidents, lapses and errors also increases (both by increasing sleepiness and by the worse functioning of decision-making). An evening may seem harmless, but it forces the body to function outside its usual rhythms. The circadian rhythm – our “internal clock” – helps regulate sleep, wakefulness and physiological functions for 24 hours. When we significantly change the rest times, this can translate into more distractions, less concentration capacity, less effective decisions, and also affect mood. For some people, it may take several days to “restor” normal sleep – but the risks are there the next day and may be very relevant, even if you do not realize it.

The ideal is to avoid accumulating this sleep debt, which can be reflected in greater sleepiness, difficulties in concentration, fatigue and lower cognitive and executive performanceCan our system recover quickly from a short night?

In fact, there is no way to completely erase the effects of a sleepy night. The ideal is to avoid accumulating this sleep debt, which can be reflected in greater sleepiness, difficulties in concentration, fatigue and less cognitive and executive performance. 

One can take a short nap, up to 20 minutes, or sleep a little more the next night, but without exaggerating since by overcompensating, one is perpetuating the deregulation of sleep for the next night and so on.  

Moreover, we tend to feel recovered before the organism is truly recovered. This is why some abilities, such as memory or speed of response, can remain affected even when we no longer feel so tired. 

The World Cup is being played in America on another continent. How much can jet lag and adaptation to a new time zone influence selection performance? 

The jet lag is a phenomenon that results from a rapid misalignment between the time zone where you are and the inner circadian rhythm. Its symptoms vary from person to person, but may have a significant impact on performance, emotional regulation, risk of injury and recovery. In high-performance modalities, minor changes in reaction times, concentration or decision-making ability and managing emotions can have important consequences.

Therefore, there must be careful management between trips, rest times and recovery. The biological clock once again balances gradually – on average, one day for each crossed time zone. And exposure to natural light is an effective tool to accelerate this process. But this is a reality that must be adapted to each athlete and to the circumstances, which is why high-performance teams usually include these issues in their planning.