A study into the impact of adrenaline on the body has revealed that the thrill of gaming can match the rush provided by popular extreme sports.
The study, by Ladbrokes Games, invited four male volunteers with different jobs and backgrounds to take part in an online gaming session, indoor skydive and 125ft freefall jump.
While simply playing an online game showed the smallest change in heart rate and blood pressure, winning the game resulted in one of the biggest increases in heart rate out of all the activities. The winner’s blood pressure also jumped from a resting rate of 118/46 to 160/139 – classed as ‘high’.
Out of all activities carried out on the day, the freefall jump resulted in the highest total heart rates and three out of four volunteers hit a high blood pressure. .
The coolest participant, who showed the lowest overall increase in heart rate throughout the day (68), was 24-year-old personal trainer Danny, who had never taken part in an extreme sport. He was followed closely by:
Tony, 31 – Increase of 69. Plumber and heating engineer, regular gamer and fan of extreme sports
Ben, 29 – Increase of 101. Electrician with some experience of gaming and none of adrenaline sports
Michael, 21 – Increase of 112. IT technician and professional online gamer.
Danny said: “For me, the indoor skydive was more about excitement and trying a new experience. I didn’t feel any real nerves as we were constantly with an instructor.
“The freefall was different, as despite all putting on a bit of bravado beforehand, I have a natural fear of heights. As soon as we got on to the roof I could feel my heart racing and as I stood on the edge, my palms got sweaty and my legs didn’t want to move. Thankfully, I have to motivate people as part of my job, so despite the nerves, it was soon a case of just getting it done! The jump was fine, as always, once I’d done it, and I felt a great adrenaline rush at the end.”
To see the results, more graphics and photos of the experience, click here.
