Fan Fanatics and Your Heart

The first three months of the year is prime championship season for sports teams. In January, the college football national championship concludes their season. At the same time, the professional teams have several rounds of playoffs ending in the Super Bowl in January. By March, the annual “March Madness” basketball season happens. 

This is all great fun but researchers have found that watching your favorite team lose a championship game can trigger a heart attack.

For example, compared with other years, heart-related deaths increased by 22% in Los Angeles County in the two weeks following the L.A. Rams’ defeat in the epic Super Bowl battle of 1980. This was a particularly stressful game, in which the lead changed seven times, and the underdog Rams entered the fourth quarter ahead. Two touchdowns later, the Pittsburgh Steelers emerged as the champions, ending their hopes with a 31-19 loss.

The opposite condition can also happen. If your team wins, the number of heart-related deaths can decline. In the same LA County, just four years later, deaths declined by 6% after the L.A. Raiders beat the Washington Redskins for the title game.

It’s Not Just About Losing A Football Game

This isn’t the first study to show that watching a sporting event can impact your health. Last year, German researchers reported an increased rate of cardiac emergencies for the fans who watched their national team play and lose the 2006 FIFA World Cup game. And again, by contrast, another study showed that heart attack deaths dipped when France won the World Cup in 1998.

But it’s interesting that strong emotions themselves don’t all have the same impact on heart health. The data seem to suggest that negative emotions may trigger cardiac events, but strong positive emotions may actually be heart-healthy!

Definitely Be Aware

If you’re a sports fan, you’re not going to miss these games, especially if your team is in the playoffs. Just be aware that it’s really just a game, there will always be next year, and the most important thing you can take away from any sporting event is your good health.