The
green field matches are in full swing. Due to the time difference, many
high-profile and pivotal matches are all scheduled to start in the early
morning, prompting many fans to stay up late to watch them.
Sitting for long periods of time watching football matches, experiencing intense emotional fluctuations, accompanied by late-night snacks like ice-cold beer and barbecue, and with a completely reversed day-night schedule, the "World Cup syndrome" frequently strikes behind the revelry.
Doctors urgently remind: Don't force yourself to stay up late to watch the game. There are six high-risk groups who should avoid staying up late to watch the game. Don't let the temporary excitement of watching the game induce acute illnesses and endanger your own life and health.
Staying up late to watch the game ≠ ordinary staying up late, the body suffers a double fatal blow
Compared to regular daily late nights, staying up to watch a football match comes with four major detrimental effects: intense emotional fluctuations, prolonged sitting, heavy and greasy late-night snacks, and disrupted daily routines, which directly double the physical damage.
The hours from 2 to 5 a.m. are the golden period for the human heart and blood vessels to self-repair, and also the physiological low point for blood pressure and heart rate. Staying up late forcibly disrupts the biological clock, and when combined with extreme emotions such as ecstasy, tension, and rage brought on by scoring goals, game-winning moments, and penalty shootouts, the human sympathetic nervous system remains continuously excited, adrenaline surges, blood vessels contract sharply, and blood pressure spikes, significantly increasing the risk of plaque rupture, thrombosis, and acute myocardial infarction.
Meanwhile, during the night, the gastrointestinal metabolism and digestive ability decline significantly. High-oil, high-purine, cold and raw night snacks such as beer, barbecue, and braised foods are highly prone to induce acute gastroenteritis and gastric bleeding. The excretion rate of uric acid slows down at night, leading to a high incidence of gout emergencies. Prolonged stay up late can also weaken the body's immune system, causing dizziness, fatigue, dry eye syndrome, cervical strain, endocrine disorders, and continuous overdraft of bodily functions.
⚠️ Six high-risk groups are strictly prohibited from staying up late and enduring hardship
Ordinary people can recover from occasional single bouts of staying up late by catching up on sleep in a timely manner afterwards; however, the following six groups of people have weak compensatory abilities, and doctors explicitly prohibit them from staying up late to watch matches:
1. People with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and arteriosclerosis
The most vulnerable group during match viewing is those with poor vascular elasticity and weak blood pressure regulation ability. When they stay up late and experience dual stimulation from emotions, their blood pressure can surge significantly in a short period of time, which can easily induce cerebral hemorrhage and cerebral infarction. The risk for middle-aged and elderly patients is doubled.
Individuals with myocardial ischemia, when coupled with staying up late, experience exacerbated myocardial hypoxia, which can easily trigger coronary spasm, malignant arrhythmias, and sudden acute myocardial infarction, posing a high risk.
3. Patients with hyperuricemia gout and chronic gastrointestinal diseases
Staying up late, consuming alcohol, and eating a high-purine diet constitute a "deadly combination" for gout, which can easily lead to sudden severe joint pain in the middle of the night. People with stomach problems are prone to developing gastric ulcers and upper gastrointestinal bleeding.
4. Middle-aged and elderly groups aged 55 and above
The decline in the repair ability of organs and the disruption of circadian rhythm lead to rapid aggravation of underlying diseases, making patients prone to physical weakness and collapse, and inducing respiratory complications.
5. People with diabetes who have uncontrolled blood sugar
Staying up late disrupts the rhythm of insulin secretion, and late-night snacks and sweet drinks exacerbate blood sugar fluctuations, which can induce ketoacidosis and aggravate damage to the microvascular structures in the eyes and kidneys.
6. Sub-healthy, young adults living alone
Prolonged sedentary behavior and irregular lifestyle can leave the heart in a state of chronic fatigue, leading to sudden cardiovascular and cerebrovascular emergencies even in individuals without underlying diseases. For those living alone, it becomes challenging to seek immediate medical assistance after experiencing symptoms, significantly increasing the risk factor.
If these symptoms appear, immediately stop watching the game, take a rest, and seek medical attention
Do not push yourself beyond your physical limits. If any of the symptoms occur, immediately stop the event, lie down, and rest. If the symptoms do not subside within 15 minutes, seek medical attention immediately:
✅ Headache, vision loss, nausea, tinnitus, and general fatigue
✅ Chest tightness and breathlessness, sharp chest pain, back pain, and cold sweat
✅ Joints are red, swollen, and in severe pain, with cramps in the upper abdomen and discomfort from acid reflux
✅ Palpitations, numbness in the limbs, and physical exhaustion
✅ Healthy Spectator Guide, Happy Watching Without Harming Your Body
Decision-making for watching matches: Give up watching matches in the early morning and late night, prioritize watching highlights and replays, avoid staying up late consecutively, and take a nap during lunch the next day to catch up on sleep after staying up late;
Diet change: Abandon beer and barbecue snacks, and replace them with warm water, unsweetened tea, fresh fruits and vegetables. Eat a diet low in fat and salt, with no alcohol intake;
Keep a calm mindset: view the outcome of competitions rationally, reduce shouting and rage, and avoid extreme mood swings;
Regular activities: Get up and stretch during the intermission to improve blood viscosity caused by prolonged sitting and protect the cervical and lumbar vertebrae;
Guidelines for chronic diseases: Patients with chronic diseases should take medication on time, monitor blood pressure and blood glucose regularly, and are strictly prohibited from discontinuing medication without authorization.
The World Cup comes around every four years, but human health cannot be regained. The matches can be replayed, but cardiovascular and cerebrovascular damage is irreversible. Pursue the matches rationally and maintain the bottom line of health.