Last Tuesday, the first leg between PSG and Bayern Munich to reach the Champions League final left its mark. For 90 minutes, this European clash, experienced as a festival of goals, transformed the living rooms into an emotional roller coaster. Screams, tensions, stress, explosions of joy… The semi-final exhausted both the nerves and the vocal cords. This Wednesday evening, the return match promises to be just as hot. But why can a simple football match cause such fatigue, sometimes even real physical discomfort?
As the professor of cognitive sciences Pierre Steiner explained in So Footsuch an intense match pushes the brain to its limits. Permanent uncertainty, twists and turns and emotional waiting force the brain to mobilize a lot of energy. Result: even sitting on the sofa, a supporter can come out feeling as empty as after a physical effort. And this phenomenon is not just an impression.
A very real physical reaction
According to Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician and medical director of True Medical, a match with a very high emotional charge triggers a real stress reaction in the body.
“A highly anticipated match can provoke real physical and emotional reactions, especially with activation of the “fight-flight” system.“, he explains.
Concretely, during the meeting, the body releases adrenaline and cortisol. The heart rate accelerates, blood pressure rises, muscles contract and attention becomes maximum. With each dangerous opportunity, each goal or each contentious refereeing decision, the nervous system reacts as if facing a threat.
A mess of positive and negative effects
Studies carried out on supporters also show that heart rate increases significantly during matches, with peaks observed just after a goal from the supported team.
For the majority of people, this reaction remains harmless. It is part of the pleasure of sport and can even generate positive effects: euphoria, surge of energy, feeling of communion and strong emotions shared between loved ones or with an entire stadium.
But after a match as intense as this PSG-Bayern, the fallout can be brutal.
Why we feel “empty” after a big match
Even without having moved from the sofa, a supporter can feel real mental and physical fatigue after the match.
Difficulty sleeping, irritability, feeling of exhaustion, loss of concentration: the brain and nervous system have simply been overworked for several hours.
The match scenario obviously plays a major role. The tighter, more unpredictable and full of twists and turns a meeting is, the more emotional stress increases. And with two offensive teams like PSG and Bayern capable of turning a match on its head in a matter of seconds, fans remain constantly energized.
Caution for people with heart disease or hypertension
It’s not a legend: for some people, this type of evening can represent a real risk.
Dr. Gérald Kierzek calls in particular for caution in people suffering from hypertension, heart rhythm disorders or cardiovascular diseases.
“The emotional stress of a match can increase blood pressure and heart rate, and trigger cardiovascular events in people at risk”he recalls.
Strong adrenaline rushes can promote palpitations, blood pressure peaks and, in the most serious cases, increase the risk of heart attack in fragile people. Several studies have already observed an increase in heart attacks during certain particularly stressful major sporting events.
This doesn’t mean you should avoid football on TV. But a few simple precautions can help you experience the match more peacefully.
Dr. Kierzek’s tips for watching the game safely
Before this new electric evening between PSG and Bayern, the doctor recommends a few common sense rules:
- Continue your medical treatments normally;
- Avoid excess alcohol during the match;
- Remember to hydrate (with water!);
- Take a few breaks if the emotional tension becomes too strong;
- Breathe slowly to relieve stress.
And above all, certain signs should alert you: chest pain, unusual shortness of breath, prolonged palpitations, discomfort or significant discomfort require calling 15 quickly.
Because if football remains above all a celebration, certain European posters can sometimes make the heart beat a little too hard. And you don’t want to experience overtime in the emergency room.