There's nothing quite like the wave of excitement that sweeps through the living room, the pub or the stands when that ball hits the back of the net. It's enough to get even the shyest person up on their feet screaming with excitement. So don't hold back during the football, because that rollercoaster of joy, anticipation and - yes - even disappointment is all worth it. Here's why:
Happy hormones
That build-up of anticipation might feel unbearable, but it's actually beneficial to your body. A study from the UC Irvine College of Medicine found that looking forward to a fun event caused stress-inducing hormones in the body to drop, while stress-reducing hormones that play a part in making us feel happy increased.
Thrills and spills
You might find the tension and stress of a close-run game unbearable. But a study of American football fans published in the Journal of Communication found that, oddly enough, we need that nail-biting tension and worry to really enjoy ourselves. Fans who took part in the study who were convinced their team was going to lose actually found the game far more thrilling!
Share the love
Find it hard to show how you feel about a partner or a friend? There's no better excuse to give them a hug than a glorious goal. Blokes aren't known for their willingness to express emotions - yet a survey from the Mental Health Foundation found that more than 75 per cent of men would think nothing of hugging a mate during a game.
Rage release
If the match isn't going well, take heart - shouting 'Offside!' in fury at the TV (even if you're not exactly sure what it means) can actually be therapeutic. It's a great way to release tension and aggression harmlessly - and nobody's going to tell you to calm down.
Claire Sutton, Marketing Manager from Ryvita, says: "Great - now I've got a great comeback when a goal is scored and my husband tells me to calm down when I'm jumping around the room and yelling my head off! How are you planning to celebrate the Cup? Let us know!"
References
Anticipation: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-11/uoc--eal110502.php
Thrills: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-11/osu-dbh111609.php
Hugging: http://www.mhf.org.uk/media/news-releases/news-releases-2006/23-may-2006/
Tension: http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/information/mental-health-a-z/football/
Comments (27)
Add a commentPauline - 29th Jul 2010
Reportwill just watch non stop football
Vicki from Caversham - 16th Jul 2010
ReportI love jumping up from the sofa and doing a little crazy goal dance whenever the team I'm supporting scores - it makes my partner smile, especially when our labrador jumps up and joins in too! :-) When all is over, it's great to get up and all go to the local park - being an armchair supporter is great fun, but it's fun to go and work out some of that excess adrenaline as well!
holly - 10th Jul 2010
ReportI cheer for the Olympics i love it so many diffrent sports so much to watch, i love the snow boarding one and just it all really
Christine - 10th Jul 2010
ReportGreat excuse for non-stop drinking and snacking - better make that a Ryvita then,
jean - 10th Jul 2010
Reporti shall be watching the world cup final on the tv anticipating the finish of the sweepstake i organised at work. The financial rewards to the 1st 4 have been sorted but I need to work out what to give as the wooden spoon award. I have been looking at Dutch and Spanish food as part of the prize as well as an unfinished world cup sticker book
Report the comment above
Leave a Comment or Suggestion