Now I may be slightly biased since I’m a total fan of horror movies, but just bear with me. The horror genre has enticed millions of people all over the world for as long as anyone can remember, and you know it’s not just movies. It first came in the form of storytelling, ghost stories, books, radio talk shows, and television series. But to those who cringe at the sight of blood or get chills when that shadow flits across the screen, I want you to know that these very things are actually good for your physical and mental health.
1. Get ready for an immune boost.
After watching a scary movie, a study was performed on 32 males and females and it showed some surprising results. The researchers found an increase in white blood cells, which would leave the viewers better suited to fight disease and repair the body. So, it pretty much it boosts your immune system.
2. You burn calories
Yes you read that right. You burn calories. In another study, researchers found you can burn up to 200 calories in one sitting by watching notorious favorites like "The Shining" (with 184 cal.), "Jaws" (with 161 cal.), "The Exorcist" (with 158 cal.), "Alien" (with 152 cal.), and "Saw" (with 133 cal.). Therefore, you can totally skip leg day today.
3. It gets your adrenaline pumping.
Research has proven that people who suffer from depression often undergo rapid drops of adrenaline. So, if you’re not feeling too hot, just pop in a good horror flick. Due to the suspense and danger aspects of a horror movie, your brain will trigger that “fight or flight” state, making your body pump out that adrenaline. Therefore, with this little kick, it gives you a nice energy boost and the potential to release some other "feel good" chemicals like dopamine, etc.
4. It helps conquer your worst fears.
According to research done by Dr. Mathias Clasen, “Watching horror movies is great for our DNA as although we have memory deep down to deal with situations that may frighten us, as our current environments often don’t put us in that state. Watching a horror movie acts as an emotional simulator for this and triggers our DNA to respond.” So thanks horror movies for preparing me for spiders.
In the end, it’s all up to you which type of horror movie you’d like to try. But if you’re looking for something, theaters are putting out some pretty terrifying new flicks this year, such as "The Forest" (already in theaters), "The Boy" (Jan. 20), and "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" (Feb. 5).
