No doubt sport loving Sybarites will be glued to their TV screens this weekend, in the hope that Mo Farah will go the distance and grab his third Olympic Gold Medal in the men’s 10,000 metres race.
But if you want to watch Mo go for gold in real time, you’ll need to think about how you’re going to play it when it comes to sleep - as the starter pistol fires at 1.25am on Sunday morning. Ouch!
Fortunately, for Sybarites, we asked Dave Gibson BSC, expert sleep advisor at bespoke bed-maker Warren Evans, for his 10 top tips for staying awake. You can thank us later…
1. Adjust your body clock. Go to bed later on Friday night and get up later on Saturday morning so it’s easier to stay awake up to the time the event is over on Sunday morning (it’s better for your mind and body to do it this way, rather than setting your alarm clock for race time). Make sure that your blinds or curtains are pulled tightly, blocking out the light on the morning after the event so you think it’s still dark outside… it’s Sunday, you can relax!
2. Take a nap during the day, stores up your sleep for later.
3. Don’t overdo it in the day, take it easy, don’t burn yourself out with exercise, try to postpone it until the day after the event.
4. Don’t eat starchy sugary foods in the run up to the event or during, they will give you an energy / sugar burst too early and you will crash later as the event is on.
5. Keep your room as bright as possible at night and as you watch the event to keep you awake as your body clock will think it is still daytime.
6. Watch it with a friend, as it’s easier to stay awake with company.
7. Drink caffeine in a small amount just before the event starts, and then in small amounts during. This will keep you awake for longer.
8. Eat high-energy food, which is harder to digest such protein during the event. Protein bars and fruit such as apples are good, so is tuna, cheese and eggs.
9. Don’t drink alcohol it will send you to sleep quicker.
10. Open windows and doors to keep fresh air circulating, if it’s too hot and stuffy you could nod off.
And if you’re eager to watch Usain bolt-it in the men’s 100 metres final in the early hours of the 15 August- after all the Olympics are only every four years - you’ll just have to grin and bear being even more tired and grouchy in the office on a Monday morning, than usual.
Lastly: be sure to go to bed nice and early on Monday night so you can catch up on your sleep!