Psychological Effects Of Riding Roller Coasters

Psychological Effects of Riding Roller Coasters

You would think when you ride a roller coaster; it would have any psychological effects on you-That is if you weren’t terrified of them before you rode the ride. Some research claims that roller coaster actually put a great amount of psychological strain on you body and can even cause death. The thrill of a roller coaster ride with its climbs, loops and dives can speed up the heart, setting off an irregular heartbeat that could put individuals with heart disease at risk of having a heart attack (American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2005). The mental and physical stress from riding on a roller coaster is comparable to a fast game of tennis. For young healthy people there is no risk for heart attack and arrhythmias from riding a roller coaster then that of people with high blood pressure, a previous heart attack, an implanted pacemaker or defibrillator, and others with proven heart disease (Kuschyk, Jurgen M.D.).

A research study showed that after one minute on a roller coaster women have a higher increased heart rate then men, men with 148 bpm and women with 165 bpm, when the normal average heart rate is 91 bpm. Before their study, the researchers thought an increased amount of G-forces put on you would increase the stress on your body increasing your heart rate. G-force is a measure of the magnitude of forces several times higher than the value of the earth's gravitational force. The heart rate appeared to raise more from psychological stress and fear at the beginning as riders were climbing or reaching the top. Emotional stress appeared to be a strong contributing factor in the rise in heart rates of riders.