New app measures 'Fanxiety' of Super Bowl fans

Players will not be the only ones under stress at Super Bowl LVII on February 12, says a top anxiety expert.

What about the fans?

Many watching fans will also be suffering Super Bowl "fanxiety", says the psychologist behind AQ, an anxiety management app and its new "Super Bowl Fanxiety Tracker" – the world's first real-time sports anxiety tracker.

But which Super Bowl team – Chiefs or Eagles – has the calmer or nervier fans? AQ will reveal.

"Fanxiety can strike at any point," says Dr. Shaun Nanavati, neuropsychologist and AQ's Chief Science Officer, "but often spikes towards the end of close games." Symptoms may include racing heart, rapid breathing, sweaty palms.

AQ's Super Bowl Fanxiety Tracker is now live and lets football fans track their Super Bowl fanxiety levels.

By first asking users which team they're backing, AQ is able to compare the anxiety levels of each team's fans and reveal which are more anxious.

AQ's assembling a user panel comprising fans of both teams to take part in the unique exercise – and inviting the public to join it.

You download AQ for free from the App Store and pick a Super Bowl team – and then let the app anonymously track your Super Bowl fanxiety levels.

AQ collects some 15 heart-rate readings/hour via your Apple Watch and applies its proprietary technology to determine your mental state in real-time. It shows you what percentage of your time, since the two Super Bowl teams were decided, you've been "Anxious," "Calm," or "Neutral."

"We expect fanxiety levels to rise on kickoff and then, if the game's close, to peak in the fourth quarter," says Dr. Nanavati. But diehard fans may also feel mounting anxiety pre-game.

AQ's Super Bowl Fanxiety Tracker is its latest feature, designed to track anyone's anxiety around a specific live event, like the Super Bowl.