Millions of British football fans are preparing to call in sick on Monday morning after England’s late-night World Cup last-16 tie against Mexico. The match, which kicks off at 1am UK time, has prompted pubs to stay open until 5am, and new research from tech firm Honor reveals that up to 70% of Brits plan to stay up to watch the game.
According to the study, 6.4% of workers—equivalent to 2.2 million people based on a UK workforce of 34.4 million—are prepared to fake an illness on Monday morning. For those who do go to work, getting rest after the match will be a challenge: more than half of fans say they struggle to sleep after a game, with the average fan lying awake for nearly 40 minutes.
Expert-Backed Fan Cool Down Routine
To help fans wind down, Honor has partnered with Dr Sophie Bostock, also known as The Sleep Scientist, to create the Fan Cool Down. This five-step routine is designed to transition fans from a state of high arousal to sleep in around 10 minutes. The steps include:
- Putting on calming music to create a relaxing ambiance.
- Stretching to ease tension and improve circulation.
- Calming breathing with guided exercises on a smartwatch like the Honor Watch 6.
- Journaling thoughts and focusing on positives.
- Letting your brain wander with cognitive shuffling—picking a word and visualizing random scenes for each letter.
Dr Bostock explains: "As a nation, we massively underestimate the physiological impact of watching a tense football match late at night. If you passionately care about the outcome, your body reacts in a similar way to being on the pitch—your adrenaline spikes, heart rate elevates, and you become fired up and ready for action. Without a deliberate cool down routine, fans will simply lie in bed replaying the match rather than recovering from it."
Workplace Impact and Flexible Working
The research also highlights the impact on the working week. Fewer than one in four bosses offer flexible working to accommodate late kick-offs, and 33% of Brits expect to go to work after a late-night game if they haven’t booked time off. Danny Holden, UK PR manager at Honor, commented: "The data paints a stark picture of what the summer of football does to sleep and Britain's working week—and most people have no plan beyond an extra coffee or faking illness or meetings to catch up on sleep."
Additional Tips for Better Sleep
Dr Bostock also offers four additional tips for fans:
- Tactical shower time: A warm bath or shower (40°C to 42.5°C) one to two hours before bedtime can help you fall asleep faster by drawing blood flow to the skin and allowing core temperature to drop.
- Reset your environment at half-time: Dim lights, complete quick tasks, and even change into pyjamas and brush your teeth before the second half.
- Don’t just sit there: Incorporate small movement breaks—three minutes of gentle exercise every half hour can improve sleep quality.
- Check in with your body after the final whistle: Monitor your heart rate on the Honor Watch 6; the goal is to bring it down before getting into bed.
The Honor Watch 6, which features an ultra-long 35-day battery life and smart heart-rate monitoring, is available for a limited time at £169.99 (RRP £249.99) in Twilight Brown and Shadow Black.
