9 Reasons Why The Thrill Of Watching A Scary Movie Can Benefit Your Health And Well-Being

Love the cheap thrills that you get out of watching a scary movie? Well, the good news is that scary movies not only stimulate your brain but also are beneficial your health and well-being.

The only catch here is that the number of health benefits you stand to gain depends on how scared you are while watching the film. The more your shriek in fear the more your increased heart rate, oxygen intake and release of carbon dioxide.

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Here¡¯s how a scary movie can benefit your health and well being:

#1. Burns calories

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A study conducted in 2012 by the University of Westminster in UK asked 10 people to watch different scary movies. The heart rate, carbon dioxide output and oxygen intake of these people was monitored while they were watching the movie. The person who watched the scariest movie freaked out and jumped several times which lead to calorie-burn (184). This is roughly what a 140-pound person would burn if he/she walks.

#2. Boosts your immune system

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Another study published in the Journal Stress reveals that watching a scary movie can also boost your immune system for short term by increasing the blood circulation and white blood cells (fights infection). This increases the fight-or-flight response of the body.

#3. Elevate your mood

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The arousal of negative stimuli improves mood significantly, says a sociologist. People feel less anxious, less frustrated and happier after they watched a scary movie.

#4. Good for the health of your brain

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The flow of emotions up and down through your body release a bunch of happy hormones in our brain, including the likes of dopamine, serotonin and glutamate. Not only do these chemicals boost your mood but also act as adrenaline in our body.

#5. Actually, relieve you from stress

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While this point might seem contraindicative due to the fact that that horror movies can in cause stress to our body, eventually though they help us reduce and manage stress better in reality. Pumping adrenaline is always a good deterrent to combat anxiety and depression.

#6. Helps you face your fears

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The scripts in scary movies are often based on thoughts and realistic stuff that scares us in reality. The subjects and the scenes have been made from real world scenarios that can scare us shitless. Since the subjects, situations and scenarios are so close to our real life fears it helps us develop a thicker skin to face our fears better in reality.

#7. They bring you close to your near and dear ones

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It¡¯s not just a time for you to freak out by yourself but to hold to someone while you shriek in fear is part of the experience. In that sense horror movies are good time to bond with your family, friends and near and dear ones. Not only will everyone get scared together you¡¯ll be doing it while bonding with one another.

#8. They can help you with a certain phobia

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Scared of that big spider in the corner of the room? or that creepy stairway that you need to take everyday? or that fear of heights that you¡¯ve been wanting to get rid of? Facing it by watching someone fight and overcome it in a movie can help you face fear or phobia and help you effectively get over them.

#9. The bottom line is that you need to be more scared

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People who don¡¯t feel the thrill after watching a scary movie won¡¯t experience the above-mentioned benefits. To enjoy the benefits of scary movie one needs to feel scared while watching it. So, make sure you choose a movie that truly gives you the thrills.