Sky Sports’ ultimate survival guide for a Sunday Special

Sky Sports’ Sunday Special is the ultimate day for sports fans with 18 hours of epic live action. Sky Sports has teamed up with sports scientist, John Mulcahy to produce the ultimate Survival Guide ensuring fans do not miss a minute of the live action.

Starting at 6am with the Australian GP and ending after midnight on the glorious greens of Augusta – with a Man City vs Liverpool title-decider sandwiched in between – planning for this day for back-to-back iconic sporting moments will be crucial. With this expert advice, viewers can rest easy knowing they can stay the course and take in all the action.

The seven tips to survive Sky Sports’ Sunday Special…

Planning

Behind all great performances is a great plan – every team and athlete will have one for Sunday, and TV viewers can do the same. When people experience positive social interactions, they are more likely to feel a sense of belonging. Picking the right team-mates for Sunday is vital to enjoy those big sporting moments together.

TOP TIP: Pre-empt when distractions will occur and factor those in around the action. Will you need to take the dog for a walk or get a few chores done? Make sure you strategically allocate time in advance to avoid interruption, and involve viewing partners – friends or family – in all your planning.

Environment

Keeping your concentration will be key to enjoying the Sunday Special as the excitement of a full day of live sport can take its toll – a risk as the final putts are holed at Augusta National in the early morning!

TOP TIP: It’s vital you make sure the front room remains relatively cool (approx 18 ?C), and opening windows at least once an hour is advised.

Sleep Planning

Studies show that fewer than eight hours sleep can result in up to a 10 per cent decrease in focus. Getting a solid rest is essential to maximising your chances of watching the Sunday Special in its entirety and not missing a key moment.

TOP TIP: Make sure it’s lights out one hour earlier on the days leading up to Sunday, so you don’t miss the start of the Melbourne GP. Likewise push bedtime back an hour if you want to see the conclusion of The Masters Get Sky SportsStream the match with a Sports Membership on NOW

Nutrition

The key is to eat a combination of high-quality carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. This will allow energy to be released evenly over a period of hours meaning you feel fuller for longer. No unnecessary trips to the kitchen.

TOP TIP: Avoid fried food and all high-sugar snacks, which can result in a sugar crash.

Hydration

Staying hydrated is a must if you are to maintain concentration and focus; drink between 2 and 2.5 litres of fluids.

TOP TIP: Too much alcohol is a no-go. Alcohol is a depressant, which increases your chances of falling asleep as the evening goes on.

Exercise and Activity

The action during the Sunday Special will surely keep you jumping out of your seat but remember to stand regularly throughout the day to fend off the drowsiness and keep your blood circulation pumping.

TOP TIP – Make sure you stand up regularly, our expert recommends once an hour.

Stress and Relaxation

Research carried out at the University of Oxford has shown a spike in the stress hormone cortisol amongst some football fans while they watch their team. One solution to subduing those stress levels is yoga, which is scientifically proven to reduce cortisol levels… go on, give it a go

TOP TIP – Try 5-10 minutes of gentle stretching at periods throughout the day to reduce stress.

With the Australian GP, Man City vs Liverpool and the final day of The Masters, it promises to be a scintillating day of sport, but there’s lots more to get stuck into on this Sky Sports Sunday Special. Further live football offerings include Norwich vs Burnley and St Mirren vs Rangers in the SPFL, while there’s also international Test cricket and IPL action, two live Suncorp Netball matches as well as live basketball from the final round of regular-season NBA.

Football

MLS: Los Angeles Galaxy vs Los Angeles Football Club – 12.50am, Sky Sports Football

Scottish Premiership: St Mirren vs Rangers – 11.30am, Sky Sports Football

Premier League: Norwich vs Burnley – 1pm, Sky Sports Premier League

Bundesliga: Bochum vs Bayer Leverkusen – 2.30pm, Sky Sports Football

Championship: Fulham vs Coventry City – 2.55pm, Sky Sports Football, Red Button

Bundesliga: Eintracht Frankfurt vs Freiburg – 4.30pm, Sky Sports Football

Bundesliga: RB Leipzig vs Hoffenheim – 6.30pm, Sky Sports Football

Boxing

Fight Night International: Mikaela Mayer vs Jennifer Han – 2am, Sky Sports Action

Cricket

Test match: South Africa vs Bangladesh – 8.30am, Sky Sports Mix

IPL: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capitals – 10.50am, Sky Sports Cricket

IPL: Rajasthan Royals vs Lucknow Super Giants – 2.50pm, Sky Sports Cricket

Basketball

NBA: Milwaukee @ Cleveland, 8.15pm – Sky Sports Arena

NBA 360, 8.30pm – Sky Sports Mix

Rugby League

NRL: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks vs Wests Tigers – 7am, Sky Sports Action

NRL: Canterbury Bulldogs vs Penrith Panthers – 9.10am, Sky Sports Arena

Netball

Suncorp Netball:Queensland Firebirds vs West Coast Fever – 4.30am, Sky Sports Mix

Suncorp Netball: Adelaide Thunderbirds vs Sunshine Coast Lightning – 6.45am, Sky Sports Mix

Horse Racing

Hong Kong Racing – 6am, Sky Sports Racing

Raceday Live – 12.30pm, Sky Sports Racing

Stateside Live – 5.30pm, Sky Sports Racing

Indycar

Streets of Long Beach – 8pm, Sky Sports F1

Pool

World Pool Championship Day Five – 11am and 5.30pm, Sky Sports Action

To enjoy Sunday Special, get Sky Sports and download the Sky Sports App to make sure you can watch on your phone and your TV at the same time.