Late nights, beer, unhealthy snacks and not nearly enough sleep. How does five weeks of the World Cup affect men’s health? H3 Health’s Dr Alex Vass reveals the real impact of all those late nights and extra calories, which can be more significant than most men realise.

How alcohol affects men’s health

As a GP working in men's health, I often see tournaments like the World Cup as one of those times when healthy routines really start to slip.

And alcohol is probably the single biggest health risk during this time, as it disrupts sleep, raises blood pressure and contributes to weight gain.

A pint of lager alone contains around 180 calories. Times that by two, three or four for every evening of football - or even every match – and it’s a lot of extra calories to be consuming in the space of five weeks.

While alcohol is well known for its initial euphoric effects, what goes up must come down. 

It's actually a depressant, so as alcohol levels fall, many men are left feeling flat, anxious or low the next day. 

Over time it can also affect testosterone production, leading to lower energy levels, mood, motivation and sex drive. 

A few drinks on match night is one thing; several nights a week for five weeks is another entirely.

How a lack of sleep affects men

Lack of sleep is where men will really start to feel it.

Late kick-offs, staying up longer than usual and scrolling on your phone after the match – the hours soon add up.

Then you have the effects of alcohol fragmenting your sleep even after you've dropped off. 

Football fans are likely to be running on five or six hours of broken sleep for several weeks, and it will show in their mood, concentration, energy and patience. 

For some men, it may start to show in your testosterone levels too.

Research published in JAMA shows that just one week of sleeping around five hours a night can reduce testosterone levels in healthy young men by 10% to15%.

This will add to feelings of lower energy, mood and sex drive.

When sleep starts suffering, exercise is usually one of the first things to go and while missing the odd session isn't a problem, weeks of missed workouts can have a significant impact.

Regular exercise helps regulate weight, mood, sleep quality and testosterone levels. 

Take it away for long enough and most men notice their energy drops, motivation fades and they simply don't feel as well as they usually do.

How unhealthy eating affects health

With most matches kicking off at 8pm, 9pm or even later, dinner has usually been and gone, so that's when the snacks are likely to come out. 

Crisps, biscuits and whatever snacks are within reach. 

Most are high in salt, fat and calories, and alongside alcohol, the combination can contribute to weight gain and gradually push blood pressure in the wrong direction. 

Dehydration often gets overlooked too. Late evenings, alcohol, salty snacks and disrupted sleep are a perfect combination for it. 

Most men don't feel thirsty, they just feel vaguely rough the next morning and put it down to the beer. 

Drinking water through the match costs nothing and makes a noticeable difference the morning after.

How to manage low mood during the World Cup

For men who already struggle with stress, anxiety or low mood, a tournament can sometimes bring those issues more to the surface.

Several weeks of poor sleep, more alcohol and a disrupted routine can affect mood more than many men realise and gambling tends to creep in during this time too.

For most men, it's just a bit of fun, but it can quickly become a source of stress. 

Chasing losses, constantly checking bets or feeling like every match needs something riding on it isn't as harmless as it seems. 

For some men, a tournament can also bring back gambling habits that had settled down months, or even years earlier.

Healthy habits to help you through the World Cup

The World Cup is meant to be an enjoyable few weeks of sport and an opportunity to enjoy games with friends and family.

But five weeks is a long time to be sleeping less, drinking more and exercising less than usual.

The good news is that you don't need to get everything right to protect your health. 

A few simple habits can make a real difference to how you feel during the tournament, how well you cope with it and how quickly you bounce back afterwards.

Alcohol

You don't need to avoid alcohol completely, but if you're drinking, slow down the pace by alternating alcoholic drinks with water or a soft drink.

Alternatively, try swapping to a low- or no-alcohol beer for part of the evening, as this will help reduce how much you drink overall without feeling like you're missing out. 

Having a few alcohol-free match nights during the tournament can also make a real difference to how you feel across the five weeks.

Sleep

Late nights are inevitable with the US, Canada and Mexico time differences, so try pacing yourself across the tournament. 

Not every match needs to be a late one so pick the games that really matter and treat the others as optional to help protect your sleep. 

On the nights you're not watching, treat them as recovery nights and get to bed early. 

A few good nights' sleep each week can make a real difference to how you feel by the final – and to your testosterone levels.

Food

Have some healthier alternatives available and put them out alongside the usual snacks.

Fruit, nuts or other healthier snacks are far more likely to get eaten if they're within reach when the match starts.

Exercise

Even if the gym isn't happening, aim to keep moving. 

A brisk walk, a short workout or simply keeping some sort of routine going during the week is far better than doing nothing at all.

Dehydration

Alcohol, salty snacks and late nights are a perfect recipe for dehydration. 

And the current UK heatwave may make this even more noticeable.

Hot weather increases fluid losses through sweating, while alcohol acts as a diuretic, meaning many men even start the match less hydrated than they realise.

Headaches, fatigue, poorer concentration and feeling generally rough the next day are often blamed entirely on alcohol when dehydration may be playing a significant role too.

Try having a glass of water between alcoholic drinks, keep a bottle of water nearby during the match and drink some water before going to bed.

A lot of what men put down to a hangover the next morning is partly dehydration.

Stress and mood

Most of the things that protect your mood during a tournament are the same things that protect your health: getting enough sleep, keeping active, drinking less alcohol and maintaining some sort of routine. 

If you're feeling more stressed, anxious or irritable than usual, it's worth paying attention to the basics before things start getting on top of you.

Gambling

For most people, it's harmless fun. 

If you're finding it difficult to enjoy a match without having money on it however, or you're chasing losses after a bad result, it's worth taking a step back. 

Setting a limit before the tournament starts is often easier than trying to set one halfway through.

BeGambleAware.org is a good starting point if it's becoming more than just fun.

Find help to feel match fit

The World Cup should be an enjoyable and sociable five weeks of football, but if you finish it feeling persistently exhausted, flat or unlike yourself, it's worth asking whether the tournament has exposed an underlying health issue.

If things don't improve once normal routines return, book yourself a men’s MOT health check or speak to a doctor for advice.