Investigating the Body's Response to Football Drama
The experience of watching a significant football match, particularly one involving a national team in a major tournament, is often described as an emotional rollercoaster. From the initial anticipation to moments of thrilling victory or crushing disappointment, fans can feel their hearts race and hands become clammy. This raises a pertinent question: how does watching football affect our physical health?
To delve into this, a journalist collaborated with two scientists from the University of South Wales for an experiment during England's opening World Cup match. The goal was to objectively measure the body's physiological changes in real-time as the drama unfolded.
A Pub Experiment: Wires, Gizmos, and Stress Hormones
The scientific team set up their equipment in a Bristol pub, transforming the journalist into a 'partially robotic lifeform' adorned with probes, wires, and cuffs. Specialized ultrasound probes were affixed to his head to monitor blood flow to the brain, while saliva samples were collected to test for stress hormones like cortisol. A device also measured breathing rate and carbon dioxide output. This comprehensive setup allowed for a second-by-second analysis of the body's response.
Professor Damian Bailey, one of the scientists involved, expressed his anticipation for a 'humdinger' of a match, hoping to observe a full spectrum of stress responses, excitement, anxiety, and even changes in breathing patterns.
"I want to see a stress response, excitement, emotional anxiety, fear, shouting, forgetting to breathe, perhaps breathing too much, all of the above." - Professor Damian Bailey
The Game Unfolds: A Rollercoaster of Reactions
The match proved to be a thrilling six-goal encounter, providing ample opportunities for the experiment. Initial readings showed the journalist's heart rate at around 54 beats per minute and blood pressure at 115 over 75, indicating a relaxed state despite the bustling pub environment. However, as the game progressed with dramatic penalties, equalizers, and shifts in lead, the physiological data began to tell a different story.
During a crucial penalty by Harry Kane, the journalist's heart rate surged from the low-to-mid 50s to 69 beats per minute within half a second of the goal. Blood pressure also increased, and a reduction in exhaled carbon dioxide suggested mild hyperventilation, leading to a temporary decrease in blood flow to the brain. Saliva tests confirmed an increase in the stress hormone cortisol, rising from a pre-match level of 4.19 nmol/L to 5.15 nmol/L at the final whistle. These changes collectively indicated a classic stress response within the body.
Good Stress vs. Bad Stress: Individual Differences
Professor Bailey highlighted that not all stress is detrimental. From an evolutionary perspective, stress activates the 'fight-or-flight' response, which can be beneficial. He likened the journalist's physiological responses to a 'mild form of exercise,' noting that his body recovered quickly. The journalist's relatively low stress response was even described as 'almost Special Forces,' attributing it to his physically active lifestyle.
However, the scientists stressed that these findings are not universal. Some individuals are 'really sensitive' to stress, experiencing heart rate increases of 50 to 60 beats per minute. For those with pre-existing heart or brain conditions, extreme stress can, in rare instances, trigger serious health events such as heart attacks due to blood vessel constriction, increased pressure, and thicker blood. Altered breathing patterns can also lead to fainting in some individuals.
Ultimately, whether watching England in a World Cup match is 'good' or 'bad' for one's health appears to be highly individual, depending on a person's underlying health and stress resilience.
Source: Is watching England in the World Cup bad for your health?