Cardiovasucalr Stress Response & Esports

Esports is quickly growing into mainstream sports media with having one of the fastest growing fan bases in professional sports. There are currently over thirty-four million core gamers in the United States, and they are playing for an average of twenty-two hours a week. This study examines how video gaming elicits stress response in a person and its long-term effects on the cardiovascular system. Participants include college students who will be observed during game play using a polar heart rate monitor, polar watch, EKG machine and salivary cortisol samples. The objective of the study is to examine variations within HR and BP between rest, game play, and physical exercise paired with game play. With this study we will be able to conclude if there is a link between prolonged exposure to video games and subsequent increased heart rate and stress levels. Findings and implications will be discussed