While watching football is considered to be a spectator sport, you can actually experience the same kind of physical stress as the players. This is because your body goes through chemical changes that are similar to when a person prepares to fight or run away from a dangerous situation. You produce more hormones and chemicals such as cortisol and adrenaline. These affect your heartrate and blood pressure. In fact, there is a 300 to 400% increase in the amount of blood which flows out of your heart. But the blood that flows to your heart is restricted. As well as this, you produce more red-and-white blood cells, which make your blood thicker. Most people think that sitting on a sofa and watching a sports match is a harmless activity. They can actually increase your risk of a heart attack. Especially, if your team loses. I admit, these physical effects disappear after a couple of hours, but it’s still important to make sure you look after yourself. Do a little exercise, reduce your sugar intake and take in some big deep breaths. Although everybody needs some excitement in their lives, moderation is the best choice on match day.