Managing Game Day Anxiety During The Super Bowl

Super Bowl LIX will take place on February 9th, 2025, in New Orleans and is expected to be an exciting event for football fans. At the 2024 Super Bowl LVIII, the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers. This season, the game will feature the winners of the NFC Championship Game and the AFC Championship Game. The favorited teams to make it to the Super Bowl may include the Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, and Buffalo Bills. 

While Super Bowl week and the big game can be exciting, major sporting events can also be a source of stress and anxiety. People may follow their team for an entire season, and the culminating event can cause anxiety due to a lack of control over the outcome. Below, explore how the Super Bowl can cause stress, as well as solutions and strategies for reducing game-day anxiety.  

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Understanding game-day anxiety

Whether you are rooting for the Los Angeles Rams or New York Giants, sporting events, especially the Super Bowl, can cause anxiety and stress. Stress can be a response to various circumstances and may be exacerbated by other events occurring in a person’s life.

What is game-day anxiety? 

Common signs and symptoms of anxiety may include the following: 

• Physical symptoms: A person with anxiety may experience an increased heart and breathing rate. Studies show that large events, like the Super Bowl, may be linked to higher rates of stress-related cardiovascular health concerns. They may also experience an upset stomach, sweaty palms, and headaches caused by muscle tension. 
• Behavioral changes: Anxiety during a game may cause a person to become short with others when they ask questions about the game. They may also struggle to focus on anything other than the game. 
• Emotional symptoms: Irritability may be common for people living with sports-related anxiety. During sporting events, they may experience an impending sense of dread or lack of control. 

Why does Super Bowl Sunday amplify stress? 

While any sporting event may incite a stress response, large culminating events like the Super Bowl can amplify that stress to a higher level. This extent of stress may be due to the high-stakes nature of the Super Bowl and its cultural significance, as the winning team may be remembered in NFL history. The outcome may seem personal for fans deeply connected to their team, making managing the anticipation and uncertainty more challenging.

In addition to one’s focus on the actual game, the Super Bowl can also be a social event that causes further stress. Many families and friends use the event to get together and enjoy snacks or a party, which can be stressful to manage and prepare for. Gatherings may also add an element of social pressure to the day as the collective group may be rooting for one team. Conflict can occur if family members don’t support the same team or aren’t as invested in the outcome. 

How rooting for a team impacts mental health

For some people, part of the fun of following a sport is supporting their team and rooting for them throughout the season. Rooting for a sports team can have various impacts on mental health, both positive and negative, depending on the circumstances and individual experiences. 

Benefits of rooting for a team 

The positive impacts of rooting for a sports team may include the following: 

• A sense of belonging: Being part of a fan community may foster social connections and a sense of belonging, which can combat loneliness and enhance well-being.
• Emotional outlet: Sports may provide a healthy way to experience and express emotions, from joy and excitement to frustration and disappointment.
• Stress relief: In some cases, the excitement of a game can distract one from daily stressors, offering a mental break.
• Motivation and identity: Supporting a team can contribute to personal identity and motivate fans to engage in related social events.
• Shared experiences: Celebrating wins or commiserating over losses with others can strengthen social bonds and foster shared joy or resilience.

Negative impacts on mental health  

While there may be benefits to supporting a team, in some cases, this support may also negatively impact a person’s mental health. Some ways that rooting for a team can negatively impact mental health may include: 

• Emotional overinvestment: Intense identification with a team can lead to mood swings, anxiety, or depression if the team performs poorly.
• Aggression and stress: Some fans may experience heightened anger, stress, or aggression, especially during contentious games or rivalries.
• Unhealthy escapism: Over-reliance on sports as a coping mechanism can interfere with addressing real-life challenges or responsibilities.
• Social conflict: Disputes with fans of rival teams or excessive focus on sports can strain relationships with non-fans or less-invested family members.

Preparing for Super Bowl Sunday and the playoffs

Highs and lows may be a part of the sporting experience, which may be helpful to understand before following any sports team. To make the playoffs and Super Bowl Sunday more enjoyable, you may prepare yourself mentally for these big events. Even with preparation, a loss may sting for a short time. However, it is still possible to have a good time whether your team wins or loses. Below are some strategies to prepare for the big game. 

Set realistic expectations during the playoffs

Fans can take steps to set realistic expectations around their team’s success or failure in the playoffs. For some fans, their team may seem to be the only team that should win the game. However, in any game, outcomes may vary. Fans can remind themselves that the result is uncertain and beyond their control. They may also acknowledge that losses are a part of sports and don’t have to define one’s fan experience. 

Focus on the experience 

During the Super Bowl, focusing on the whole experience may be helpful. For example, focus on who you are watching the game with, the food you are eating, and the overall experience of watching the game. Focusing on friends and family members can make the game memorable, whether your team wins or loses. 

There may also be other notable moments unrelated to the game, such as memorable commercials or the Super Bowl Halftime Show. The halftime show can be as memorable as the game. For instance, recent exciting shows included Katy Perry at the University of Phoenix Stadium in 2015, Justin Timberlake at U.S. Bank Stadium in 2018, and the spectacle in Santa Clara in 2016 at Levi Stadium, which included Beyonce, Coldplay, and Bruno Mars. These shows may help build memories and shared experiences, making the game more enjoyable. 

Coping during the game and throughout seasons

Although games and season-culminating events like the Super Bowl may cause stress, some strategies and techniques can reduce their impacts on mental health. Stress reduction techniques may include deep breathing or meditation before, during, or after a game. You can also avoid physical stressors such as excessive caffeine or alcohol consumption, which may increase feelings of stress and anxiety. 

Another strategy may be to monitor or check in with your emotions throughout the game. Try to step away for a minute or two if stress increases. You can also try to limit events or stimuli that cause emotions to rise, such as trash-talking or engaging in heated debates over the game. 

Socialization strategies during the Super Bowl 

How a person socializes during a game may impact stress and anxiety. Consider watching the game with supportive people who create a relaxed environment. You might avoid people rooting for the other team on Super Bowl Sunday or those who also get overly excited or wrapped up in the game’s outcome. 

Watching the game with supportive people may not always be possible. In these cases, try to set boundaries for yourself and others. A boundary can mean stepping away when the game becomes too stressful or letting others know if you need more space or less intense commentary.  

Post-game recovery 

After the game, reflection and recovery may help you calm down, regardless of the outcome. Whether your team wins or loses, intense emotions and feelings can arise. Below are some ways to recover after the big game. 

Focus on the season’s positives 

Seasons may be filled with high and low points in any sport. The end of the season may be an opportunity to focus on the season’s positives and happy moments. These highs could be moments spent with friends and family members watching your team perform or exciting plays from the season. Reflection can help reduce stress and may be a way to unwind after the season. 

Practice gratitude

Considering what you are thankful for may put a positive twist on the season, regardless of the outcome for your particular team. Think about the times you spent with friends and family during the game, and practice gratitude for the good times. Expressing gratitude has been shown to improve overall mental health and well-being and may reduce stress and anxiety.  

Are you stressed about the Super Bowl?

Connect with a counselor

Seeking professional help for sports anxiety

In some cases, seeking professional help for sports-related anxiety or stress may be beneficial. A therapist or other mental health professional may encourage mindfulness techniques or implement therapeutic strategies and modalities like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to reduce stress. 

Busy professionals may struggle to find the time to make it into a brick-and-mortar to attend regular therapy sessions. Online therapy sessions can occur from anywhere with an internet connection and personal device, allowing a person to attend therapy anywhere they have an internet connection. With online therapy through a platform like BetterHelp, a person may also have added flexibility in choosing a therapist because location may not be a limiting factor. Online CBT can be an effective way to help individuals identify and reframe negative thought patterns around anxiety.