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AMMAN — As Jordanians prepare for the national team’s historic FIFA World Cup debut, early-morning kick-offs are expected to reshape daily routines, sleep patterns and work schedules across the Kingdom, as millions plan to follow Al Nashama’s first appearance on football’s biggest stage.
Jordan will open its World Cup journey against Austria on June 17 at 7:00am Jordan time before facing Algeria on June 23 at 6:00am. The Kingdom’s final group-stage match against reigning world champions Argentina is scheduled for June 28 at 5:00am, with all matches taking place in the US.
Prime Minister Jafar Hassan has directed public institutions to begin official working hours at 10:00am on the days Jordan plays its World Cup matches, allowing citizens to follow the national team during its historic debut. The decision applies to June 17, June 23 and June 28.
While the measure is expected to ease pressure on public-sector employees, a sleep specialist warns that repeated early-morning awakenings may still disrupt the body’s biological clock and affect productivity and overall well-being.
Mohammad Tarawneh, a consultant in pulmonary medicine and sleep disorders, said that sleep is a vital biological process, with adults requiring around eight hours per night across 90–120-minute cycles that are essential for physical and mental restoration.
He said that sleep is regulated by the circadian rhythm, which depends mainly on light and darkness, adding that disruptions, including waking at unusually early hours, can suppress melatonin production, as blue light from screens confuses the brain into delaying sleep signals.
“Sleep is not only about rest, but about regulating hormones, body temperature, blood pressure and digestion,” Tarawneh said, noting that repeated disruption can create effects similar to jet lag without travel.
He noted that sleep deprivation follows a clear pattern, stressing that even one night can increase emotional sensitivity and reaction times, while two to three nights may significantly impair memory, concentration and physical energy, alongside headaches and increased cravings for sugar and fat due to hormonal imbalance affecting ghrelin and leptin.
Tarawneh also warned that lack of sleep affects the frontal lobe of the brain, reducing attention span, decision-making ability and risk assessment, while increasing irritability and anxiety.
He also highlighted the risk of “microsleep” episodes, brief involuntary sleep lapses that can occur during work, study or driving.
To mitigate the impact of early matches, Tarawneh advised fans to plan sleep schedules in advance, take short naps (20–30 minutes or a full 90-minute cycle when possible), and maintain regular sleep patterns on non-match days to repay accumulated sleep debt.
He also recommended avoiding heavy meals and limiting caffeine in the evening, noting that both can interfere with post-match recovery sleep, while discouraging prolonged screen use after matches to help the brain transition into rest.
As excitement builds for Jordan’s World Cup debut, Tarawneh said that balancing national enthusiasm with disciplined sleep habits will be key to ensuring fans can enjoy the tournament without compromising health, safety or productivity.
