Watching Football Could Be Hazardous to Your Health
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iStock/Thinkstock(BIRMINGHAM, Ala.) — Watching football is supposed to be fun, right? So why does it affect some people’s health in a bad way?
Jody Gilchrist, a nurse practitioner at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, says when the game is close or during times of defeat, the body often releases adrenaline, which increases heart rate and blood pressure.
Over time, according to Gilchrist, the heart muscle thickens. In the worst case scenario, this can lead to reduced blood supply and reduced blood pumping, two causes of heart failure.
Gilchrist doesn’t blame football entirely. The problem is the body can’t distinguish from the stresses that occur during sporting events and everyday annoyances.
Meanwhile, fans often cope with all the excitement of game day by overindulging in food and alcohol, another cause of health problems.
No one’s telling you to stop watching football. However, health experts do recommend that people take it easy during games by limiting their intake of food and alcohol, get up from the couch every so often to stretch, and try and watch games with a friendly crowd rather than overly rowdy fans who will feed into your stress.
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