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If you were rooting for the Colts last night, you should be glad that you're alive. The Super Bowl could very well have killed you.
According to a study conducted by the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, stress incurred from watching the Super Bowl and seeing your favorite team lose can progress cardiac diseases and even increase the likelihood of death.
The study looked at two previous Super Bowls, 1980 and 1984, which both featured the Los Angeles Raiders and had dramatically different results for the team. It determined that death rates increased significantly in Los Angeles when the home team lost in 1980 and decreased when they won in 1984.
Dr. Stephen Siegel, a cardiologist at NYU Langone Medical Center, said that although these deaths are rare, the results are not too surprising.
"It's rare that these events occur," said Siegel, "but what they were able to show was that, to a statistically significant occurrence, this does happen around clustered events like the Super Bowl."
These deaths usually occur in viewers who are already predisposed to suffering from cardiac problems, Siegel said. People with high blood pressure and cholesterol are more likely to suffer cardiac problems and die from Super Bowl stress, while healthy people rarely suffer from such problems, he added.
Many Super Bowl-related activities have also been attributed to higher death rates during the game as well. The study showed that excess eating, drinking and smoking, as well as gambling can have problematic effects on stress and health.
CAS junior Nick Klopsis said he understands how watching the Super Bowl can be a high-stress scenario.
"When the Giants won back in 2007, it was a little different because no one expected it," Klopsis said. "The last thirty seconds, when the Giants ran down and the helmet catch had us on the edge of our seats. I don't think our health was in danger, but it was definitely a high stress situation."
Stern freshman John Zavolas agreed that the Super Bowl is a high-stress case.
"I think a lot of money and time have been spent on the Super Bowl," Zavolas said. "More people are invested in it than the stock market."
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