Parents of Olympic athletes are wearing heart rate monitors. Does this prove that spectating is really a sport?

Olympic coverage is not complete without shots of anxious family members watching in the stands. But NBC has kicked things up a notch this time around by having parents of Olympians wear heart rate monitors — and then displaying the results on TV.

American gymnast Hezly Rivera’s father, Henry Rivera, wore the heart monitor during her uneven bars routine at the qualifiers for the team all-around competition. The monitor showed his heart rate was at 164 beats per minute (bpm) at the start of his daughter’s routine. But his heart rate jumped up to 181 bpm as he continued to watch.

People on social media have called this feature “brilliant” and some are “weirded out” by it, while others have expressed concern for Henry after his heart rate shot up. But what’s behind this idea and what can we learn from the heart rate readings? Cardiologists break it down.

What’s the story with the heart rate monitors at the Olympics?

The heart rate monitors are sponsored by FIGS, a medical apparel brand. FIGS plans to continue to sponsor the monitors throughout the Olympic games, so you can expect to see more of these metrics on your screen in the future. “Because this is a new integration, audiences will have to tune into the Olympic Games to see where this feature will show up next,” Bené Eaton, FIGS chief marketing officer, tells Yahoo Life.

However, it seems that wearing the monitors is ultimately up to the parents. (Simone Biles’s parents, for example, did not wear the monitors and were not mic'd during their daughter’s routines.)

What’s the point, besides pure entertainment? Eaton says that the goal “is to showcase some of the lesser-known, behind-the-scenes emotional stories that go into building bodies that break records.”

What can we learn from the heart monitor readings?

Henry Rivera’s heart rate readings got plenty of attention, and Karen Hong, the mother of U.S. gymnast Asher Hong, had readings that spiked to 144 bpm during her son’s vault during the qualification match.

Cardiologists say it’s hardly surprising to have an elevated heart rate while watching an intense competition, especially if it’s while cheering on a loved one. The readings simply show “how incredibly stressful and adrenaline-producing the experience of watching sporting events can be, especially if it's your child out there competing,” Dr. Jim Liu, a cardiologist at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, tells Yahoo Life.

Liu noted that Henry Rivera’s high heart rate “is usually expected with full exercise workouts, so to be able to achieve that by just being a spectator is pretty amazing.”

Dr. Jessica Hennessey, a cardiologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, tells Yahoo Life that this response is normal. “When one is under stress," she says, "they need to perform at the highest level, therefore the heart pumps faster and more efficiently to make sure the brain and other organs necessary to deal with this situation get enough blood and oxygen.”

Dr. Theodore Maglione, associate professor of medicine and director of the Robert Wood Johnson Electrophysiology Laboratory at Rutgers, tells Yahoo Life that it’s a “normal physiologic response” to have an increase in heart rate when you’re feeling stressed, angry, upset or even going through a moment of extreme joy. “This is the same mechanism behind one’s heart rate increasing during the fight or flight response,” he says.

When you go through an emotional stress, your body releases various hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which usually cause an increase in heart rate (and blood pressure), Liu says. He also notes that parents of Olympians face “added stress” that can lead to higher heart rates than other Olympic fans.

“As long as the reason for the increased heart rate is purely excitement or stress from the event, there is not a concern,” Dr. Paul Drury, a cardiologist and associate medical director of electrophysiology at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, Calif., tells Yahoo Life. “We know that stress can drive a significant increase in heart rate,” he adds.

While this is generally considered a normal response, it still can increase the odds of having a serious heart event, such as a heart attack in people who are at risk for heart issues, Dr. Matthew Tomey, a cardiologist at the Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital, tells Yahoo Life. “There is a correlation observed between major events — such as blockbuster sporting events and natural disasters — and community incidence of cardiac events,” he says.

But in most excited viewers and family members, the heart rate should come down again pretty soon after the event, Drury says. “As long as you don’t have any other symptoms besides maybe feeling like your heart is beating strong or fast in the moment, you should be fine,” he says.

What is a normal heart rate?

A normal resting heart rate — which is your heart rate when you’re sitting and calm — is between 60 and 100 bpm, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). The AHA also says that athletes can have resting heart rates as low as 40 bpm.

However, heart rates can vary depending on what you’re doing and will typically spike during exercise. Target heart rate zones during exercise for most healthy adults vary by age, but can be anywhere from 100-170 bpm for a 20-year-old to 85-145 bpm for a 50-year-old, according to the AHA. The average maximum heart rate can range from 150 bpm for a 70-year-old to 200 bpm for a 20-year-old, according to the organization.

In general, Liu says that the elevated heart rates from the parents of Olympic athletes “are typically not expected to be harmful since the duration is usually a short period of time.” But if someone has a known heart condition like severe heart failure, coronary artery disease or certain arrhythmias, which is an irregular heart beat, “even a short, sudden spike in heart rate and blood pressure can cause problems,” Liu says.

Maglione agrees there’s little risk to having an elevated heart rate in these situations, provided you don’t have an underlying heart condition. “That’s part of being human — and a great team USA fan,” he says. “However, if your heart rate does not return to normal afterwards, or unusual symptoms persist, you may want to contact your health care provider.”

If you’re watching the Olympics at home and are worried that your heart rate is getting too high, Hennessey recommends switching the channel, closing your eyes and meditating, taking a short break and calling or texting a friend. “If the heart rate remains elevated and/or you feel chest pain, shortness of breath or dizziness in this setting, seek medical attention immediately,” she says.