The starter’s pistol cracks on the Paris Olympics this week, but the time difference will test the most ardent Aussie sports fans.
Luckily, researchers at Victoria University (VU) have some tips for fans indulging in middle-of-the-night sports watching sessions.
VU academic and practicing dietitian Dr Lannie O’Keefe said fans needed to snack on foods that were not high in salt or sugar.
Dr O’Keefe said they were poor in nutritional value, energy dense and may also affect digestion when consumed at odd hours.
“Our bodies can get a shock if the menu, timing, and frequency of our food intake shifts abruptly,” she said.
“It’s ok to have a light snack or two but just be mindful of going too hard overnight and please try to avoid a midnight pantry raid.”
Dr O’Keefe’s top five snack tips:
- Homemade popcorn is the best. Have it plain or make a homemade seasoning of a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, garlic powder and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Grainy crackers topped with avocado, tomato and cheese or cottage cheese topped with sliced apples and sultanas.
- A variety of veggie sticks e.g carrots, cucumber, celery etc, with dips such as hummus and tzatziki.
- Greek yogurt and fruit.
- Muffins, made with wholemeal flour, then naturally sweetened with bananas and pear.
When it comes to napping, VU sleep expert Dr Nicholas Saner said there were real health effects on the body when you don’t get a regular seven to nine hours of sleep, or you disrupt your sleep schedule.
“Sleep is crucial for our physical and mental health; and your performance the next day will suffer if you don’t get enough,” Dr Saner said.
“If you’re going to stay up late to watch the Aussies in the Games, make sure you’re able to catch up on some sleep the next day.”
Dr Saner’s top five sleep tips:
- Sleep before the event. If the event is in the early hours of the morning, try to get a few hours of sleep before the event starts.
- Try to arrange a later start the next day to give yourself time to catch up on some sleep.
- Take a short nap (20 – 30 minutes) the next day. Naps can help maintain/improve your focus and concentration, if you’ve had a late night.
- Make sure your bedroom is conducive to good sleep (cool, dark, and quiet) and watch the event in another room, like your living room. This will help you drift off to sleep faster after the event.
- Limit your caffeine and alcohol intake, as neither are conducive to quality sleep when you do get to bed.
