Cardiologists say World Series games can actually increase fans’ heart rates
While the nail-biting action for fans when a Dodgers pitcher stares down a Blue Jays batter is as real to the body as any other spike in stress, doctors say they’ve felt the heart-pounding effects themselves.
“Fanaxiety,” as one cardiologist called it, is displayed in short videos posted on social media, showing people pacing in their living rooms, tossing soft objects at the screen, or covering their eyes during key moments in baseball, football, or soccer. Hockey, football And other sports.
When a fan watches their favorite team play, their eyes and ears gather information that travels to the brain, which prompts the body to respond — because they are emotionally invested, said Greg Wells, a scientist at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto who studies exercise physiology.
“I teach how to stay cool, collected and collected under pressure,” Wells said in an interview. However, when he is watching the game, Wells admitted, “I throw stuff, I yell, I get upset. But I love it.”
When someone is emotionally invested in a good sporting outcome, they experience happiness, Wells explained, because the body and brain are filled with endorphins. But if it doesn’t heal, he said, the emotional pain is also real.
Wells said watching a pitcher versus batter contest at the plate can make spectators anxious because they don’t know the outcome. This means that heart rate, breathing and blood pressure increase as the body reacts to the hormone to prepare for the fight or flight response. like adrenaline,
“Cortisol and adrenaline Pump up your body to prepare you for action as if you were experiencing a real stressor,” Wells said.
When someone feels threatened, subconsciously, your blood pressure and level of awareness will increase; You may start sweating and trembling, and cortisol Triggers the release of glucose from your liver to deliver a short burst of energy.
Several smaller studies also present data on the audience During high-risk sports.
Watching at home is like ‘a moderate workout’
Dr. Jacob Udell, a cardiologist at Women’s College Hospital and Toronto General Hospital, said the body’s response when there’s no real threat — or no potential threat, as we’re seeing — means we can just sweat.
“There have been studies that show that when you’re there participating in live SelfThis is equivalent to vigorous exercise,” Udell said, adding that he has years of experience as a Blue Jay fan.
“Whereas if you’re watching at home, it’s equivalent to a moderate workout in terms of increased heart rate,” he said.
Cardiologist Dr. Lori West told The National about #TheMoment as she walked into a Calgary café filled with former patients and families who were helped by her research, which revolutionized pediatric heart transplants.
For most people, increasing blood pressure or heart rate during sports won’t make any clinical difference, Udell said.
But if someone has a history of heart disease or other risk factors, such as a heart rhythm abnormality, Udell said it’s important to take medications as prescribed.
“These types of events, especially at their extremes, can cause blood pressure to increase, heart rate to increase, stress levels to increase. This can sometimes potentially harm someone who is at risk and vulnerable. feeling chest pain And what we call angina, or their heart palpitations and palpitations. “And they won’t stop, so it’s important to remain vigilant.”
If you notice such symptoms, seek medical help Immediately, medical experts say.
Classic coping mechanisms, such as box breathing And imagining a comfortable space can go a long way and has been shown to reduce stress on the cardiovascular system, Udell said, whether it’s during a bumper-to-bumper trip, opening an overdue bill or watching a white-knuckle baseball game.
“Pace yourself,” he suggested. “It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Try to enjoy yourself.”
