Some advice: be absolutely, 1000% certain you've turned the immersion off before you travel to Australia. There's nothing quite like jet lag to make you agonise over trivialities as you stare at the walls in the wee small hours.
Your watch tells you it's midday while outside the possoms go rustling through the bins for some 3am snacks.
The bleary-eyed travelling Irish media may still be getting their bearings, but luckily the Republic of Ireland players are looking considerably fresher.
Vera Pauw is using "a jet-lag protocol" to help them adjust their body clocks as quickly as possible. Whenever the players have been feeling sleepy, they work out, essentially telling the body that it's day time now. Regular team walks are also part of the routine to maximise exposure to daylight.
The squad were in the business class seats when they flew out in two separate groups last Friday and Saturday, a perk Pauw stressed "makes a big difference... we all said that 27 hours [in business class] felt easier than five hours travel to Eastern Europe".
They had an open training session at their Meakin Park base on Wednesday and will face Colombia behind closed doors on Friday night [8pm local time, 11am Irish time] for one final tune-up before next week's group opener against Australia.
Thirty minutes before Ireland kick off, the Aussies take on France at a sold-out Marvel Stadium in what their manager Tony Gustavsson is describing as "a send-off game".
Over 50,000 fans will be in Melbourne to see the Matildas play their first match in three months. Their last outing was the highly impressive 2-0 defeat of England in April.
We've a strong idea how Ireland are going to line up next week, Pauw pretty much confirming midweek that she'll go with - or very close to - the starting XI she fielded against France: Courtney Brosnan, Heather Payne, Niamh Fahey, Louise Quinn, Megan Connolly, Katie McCabe, Denise O’Sullivan, Ruesha Littlejohn, Sinead Farrelly, Marissa Sheva and Kyra Carusa.
We're less certain what Gustavvson will opt for when the countries collide at the magnificent, 83,500 capacity Accor Stadium in Sydney; though you could take a decent stab at it.
For sure the brilliant attacking pair of Caitlin Foord and Sam Kerr will dovetail at the top of a 4-4-2, with Katrina Gorry and Kyra Coony-Cross anchoring the middle of the park and the likes of Cortnee Vine, Hayley Raso and flying full-back Ellie Carpenter offering great width.
And they are vowing to attack from the off.
"We know we want to play a pressing game, play intense and attack a lot," Gustavvson said. "It takes a lot of running, so we ran them hard [in training]. We're always going to be an in-your-face kind of team, no matter who we're playing.
"We're going to use that Aussie spirit and high-pressing game in attack."
He also appealed to the supporters to be the "fuel" that drives their aggressive approach. "[The big crowds] are a source of strength that this team will embrace," the Swede added.
So Ireland have been warned. Australia believe they can go all the way at this tournament, and are hoping to lay down a marker against Herve Renard's excellent French outfit, who beat Ireland 3-0 at Tallaght Stadium eight days ago.
Pauw's analysts Andy Holt and Ger Dunne will burn the midnight oil to get a gauge on the Matildas, but Zambia's 3-2 win against Germany a week ago was a reminder that it's often folly to draw conclusions from results in warm-up games. Ireland beat Zambia 3-2 three weeks ago.
These are intangibles that might turn out be red herrings but it's fair to assume there'll be a few surprises at this World Cup and the Zambians - led by the magnificent Barbra Banda - are capable of catching more bigger names out. Keep an eye on them.
"There's little evidence of World Cup fever so far at the Irish base. But slowly the stakes are getting higher. And the tension is building."
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) July 13, 2023
¦ @CorkTOD reports from Ireland's Brisbane base...#RTEsoccer #FIFAWomensWorldCup pic.twitter.com/sk6WeICuci
Meanwhile Ireland will stay focused on themselves.
On Thursday evening Ambassador of Ireland to Australia Tim Mawe hosted a celebration of the Girls in Green's participation in the 2023 Women's World Cup at the Emporium Hotel, where the squad is staying.
Pauw and the players were training during the two-hour gathering which included some short speeches that referenced the huge Irish community in Australia and historical connection between the two nations.
Gustavsson is banking on fan power to energise a high-octane game plan, but Pauw can also count on a really strong Irish presence when the teams take to the field in Sydney.
Might we see a repeat of USA 94 when Irish tricolours massively outnumbered Italian flags at the Giants Stadium in New Jersey? Maybe not, but the diaspora - and considerable travelling support - will definitely make their presence felt.
"There's an incredible amount of Irish people around," Pauw said. "The players are talking with people about Ireland, where they come from, when they moved. It's a lovely atmosphere."
The clock ticks down and the body clocks search for circadian rhythm. Ireland will keep soaking up the daytime light to make sure they're ready for a monumental opening night.
