As college football season returns, many fans are preparing for the emotional highs and lows that come with watching their favorite teams compete. The excitement and tension during games can lead to noticeable physical responses, including increased heart rate and blood pressure.
“During a game, there can be a lot of excitement, anticipation and unknowns — and these things can elevate your heart rate and your blood pressure,” says Dr. William Zoghbi, chief of cardiology at Houston Methodist Hospital. “But this is a completely normal response.”
The body’s reaction to the stress of watching sports is tied to the fight-or-flight response, which is an inherited mechanism designed to prepare individuals for physically or mentally stressful situations. “When you experience a physically or mentally stressful situation, your adrenal glands release hormones that increase blood pressure and heart rate,” says Dr. Zoghbi. “This is a hard-wired, inherited mechanism, and its purpose is to keep you alert and give you the energy you need to handle the situation you’re in.”
Although being emotionally invested in a sporting event may not seem as serious as facing real danger, the body cannot distinguish between types of stress. As a result, it reacts in similar ways regardless of the cause.
For most people, temporary increases in heart rate and blood pressure while watching sports do not pose significant health risks. The elevated levels usually do not reach those experienced during light exercise and subside quickly after the event ends.
However, people with preexisting heart conditions such as coronary artery disease may notice stronger symptoms like mild chest discomfort or shortness of breath when under emotional stress at sporting events. “For instance, these individuals may experience some mild chest discomfort or shortness of breath,” explains Dr. Zoghbi, “but this isn’t necessarily dangerous.”
In rare cases, individuals with undiagnosed serious conditions like stress cardiomyopathy could face more severe consequences if they become highly stressed or excited during games. “This is incredibly rare and they usually recover, but when these individuals become very excited or stressed, bad things can happen to the heart,” warns Dr. Zoghbi.
Dr. Zoghbi advises both healthy individuals and those with existing heart issues to avoid additional behaviors that could further increase their heart rate during intense games—for example, drinking alcohol.
“I know I’m in the Astros fever right now, so I say enjoy the games!” says Dr. Zoghbi. “During a nerve-wracking game, you’re not going to prevent your heart rate and blood pressure from increasing — it just comes with the territory of any exciting moment. So that’s when moderation of unhealthy behaviors becomes important.”
