Game day heart risks: Why football fans’ excitement isn’t always healthy

Whether your favorite team is crushing it or failing miserably on the field, football Sundays can be an emotional rollercoaster. For diehard sports fans, cheering and yelling—all while indulging on salty food and alcoholic beverages—simply comes with the territory. However, this game day combination of stress and unhealthy snacking can be detrimental to the body, resulting in potentially serious heart issues, especially for older individuals and those with underlying conditions.

According to cardiologist Bryan Curry, MD, of Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic Medical Group’s Cardiology Holme, strong feelings of both excitement and anger over a football game cause a surge of adrenaline, which makes heart rate and blood pressure spike.

“People are very passionate about their football teams. Even if they’re good and they go to the Super Bowl, like the Eagles did last year, there’s a lot of swings when you’re watching the game, a lot of stress. Your heart rate may be high enough that you’re almost exercising. Your heart has to work harder,” says Dr. Curry. “If it’s somebody whose heart is not in the best condition, that stress can lead to something negative, like chest pain or breathing trouble.”

Such symptoms, in addition to pain in the left arm and excessive sweating, shouldn’t be ignored if they persist after a few minutes of resting. They could indicate that there’s a serious heart issue that requires immediate medical attention. When a patient comes in with these symptoms, they’ll undergo an EKG to ensure it’s not a major heart attack, followed by lab work and a chest x-ray.

“If you’re a physician on call on a Sunday during certain team seasons, you may have more admissions and evaluation requests for chest pain and breathing trouble for people who are prone. Usually, they’re over a certain age. A lot have diabetes or high blood pressure,” says Dr. Curry. “People who are over age 50 or 60 tend to be at a higher risk than if you’re under 25 or 30.”

The negative effects of game day stress are often exacerbated by the salty snacks and alcohol that fans tend to consume while watching. For those who are at risk, moderation is key to enjoying this pastime without ending up in the hospital.

“People are very passionate about their football teams. Even if they’re good and they go to the Super Bowl, like the Eagles did last year, there’s a lot of swings when you’re watching the game, a lot of stress. Your heart rate may be high enough that you’re almost exercising. Your heart has to work harder. If it’s somebody whose heart is not in the best condition, that stress can lead to something negative, like chest pain or breathing trouble.” – Bryan Curry, MD

“You don’t have to be a vegetarian during the game. But watch what you’re eating. If you have a beer, have a bottle of water in between each one,” says Dr. Curry. “During commercials or halftime, walk around the block. Don’t just sit there. Try to moderate the mood swings that you get from the highs and lows of the game.”

Other tips for an enjoyable—and healthy—football Sunday include getting a good night’s sleep, incorporating a few minutes of meditation and staying on schedule with required medications, even if you’re at a friend’s house or bar. But most importantly, remember that it’s just a game, with your health and wellbeing taking precedence over a final score.

“Sports is supposed to be fun and entertaining. It should not stress you out to the point that you have a heart attack. Growing up in Washington, DC, we spent 30 years in the dumps of our division doing nothing. You get more perspective that way,” says Dr. Curry. “So have fun when it’s fun, but if they don’t do well, if Detroit or Green Bay happens to win in the NFC and Philadelphia doesn’t make it, that’s okay. Just enjoy it.”

Visit Cardiology Holme for more information and to make an appointment.