Medical professionals have acknowledged the intense physical response fans experience when watching sports, such as when a Dodgers pitcher faces off against a Blue Jays batter. This phenomenon, dubbed “fanxiety” by a cardiologist, is evident in social media videos capturing fans pacing, tossing objects, or covering their eyes during crucial moments in various sports.
Greg Wells, a scientist at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto specializing in exercise physiology, explained that when fans watch their favorite team, their brain processes the sensory information, triggering a physical reaction due to their emotional investment in the game. Despite teaching strategies for staying composed under pressure, Wells admitted to displaying emotional reactions while watching games.
Wells further explained that successful plays result in the release of endorphins, creating feelings of joy, while unsuccessful outcomes can lead to emotional distress. Tense moments, like a prolonged pitcher versus batter duel, can leave spectators feeling anxious as they anticipate the uncertain outcome, causing physiological responses like increased heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure as the body readies for a fight-or-flight reaction fueled by hormones such as adrenaline.
“Cortisol and adrenaline flood your system, preparing you for action as though facing a real threat,” Wells stated.
Feelings of threat trigger physiological responses such as elevated blood pressure and alertness, sweating, trembling, and the release of glucose to provide a burst of energy, as cortisol levels rise.
Research has indicated that spectators during high-stakes games undergo physiological changes, akin to experiencing a moderate workout, which can vary based on whether they are watching live or from home, as elaborated by Dr. Jacob Udell, a cardiologist at Women’s College Hospital and Toronto General Hospital.
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