An Observation of Common Physiological Parameters During Esports Activity

This study investigates how common physiological stress markers, including heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), and minute ventilation (MV), change during competitive esports play, an area the authors argue has received limited attention relative to traditional sports and other high-pressure activities. Using Hexoskin smart shirts worn by nineteen male university esports players, the researchers recorded physiological data during sessions of League of Legends (LoL) and Overwatch (OW), ultimately analysing data from eight LoL and nine OW players after two datasets failed to transfer. Recordings were aligned using autocorrelation-based lag adjustment, rest and activity periods were identified through changepoint analysis, and Bonferroni correction was applied to control Type I error.

Across both titles, HR and RR rose significantly during gameplay compared with rest, while MV showed a slight decrease. Among LoL players, mean HR, RR, and MV were significantly higher in the winning team than in the losing team (p<0.01). Substantial variance in respiratory rate was observed between individual players, which the authors attribute to differing in-game roles and to individual differences in response to cognitive tasks. Elevations in physiological markers appeared persistent across much of the session rather than confined to key moments, suggesting sustained concentration demands.

The authors frame these findings as evidence that esports imposes meaningful cognitive workload and stress, and that physiological monitoring is feasible with careful protocols. The study is subject to important limitations, including a small sample consisting entirely of male university players, an inability to link physiological data to recorded gameplay events, and the lack of control for confounders such as sleep, stimulant use, and physical health. The authors therefore caution that the winning-team association is observational and should be interpreted accordingly.