India, June 24 -- The 2026 FIFA World Cup is currently underway, and Indian football fans are staying up at night to watch their favourite teams compete. While the excitement is understandable, it does involve the regular sacrifice of sleep throughout the month.

According to Dr Lokesh Gutta, consultant in the department of interventional pulmonology, Manipal Hospitals, Vijayawada, staying up for a few matches may seem like a harmless choice, but repeated sleep deprivation over several weeks can have serious consequences for overall health. He shared with HT Lifestyle the health risks that may arise from this arrangement, and what one can do to safeguard themselves against it.

"Sleep is essential for both the body and the brain to functi...