Some people start to breathe heavily and have their heart rate rise when they're watching scary movies. No one blames them either cause there are some films which literally make people jump out of their seat.
While you might scream and shout and question why the hell you ever put this movie on, even though you saw it described online as 'the scariest film of all time', it's not the worst thing for your health.
A study has found that watching horror movies can actually help you lose weight.
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Researchers from the University of Westminster discovered a 90-minute scary film can burn up to 113 calories, which is the same as a 30-minute walk. The university's Dr Richard Mackenzie says: "Each of the 10 films tested set pulses racing, sparking an increase in the heart rate of the case studies.
"As the pulse quickens and blood pumps around the body faster, the body experiences a surge in adrenaline.
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"It is this release of fast-acting adrenaline, produced during short bursts of intense stress (or in this case, brought on by fear), which is known to lower the appetite, increase the basal metabolic rate and ultimately burn a higher level of calories."
It's probably worth noting that you probably won't lose weight if you're eating a bunch of popcorn or sweets while watching the movie. This study was based purely on how many calories you could lose, so you if you want the full benefits of sitting through the thriller then it might be best avoiding food.
The average calorie loss was 113, but that means there are some movies which burn much more. The film adaptation of Stephen King's masterpiece The Shining comes in at number one in terms of the best for burning off the calories, with 184. It's not hard to understand why, what with the wave of blood streaming from an elevator, creepy zombie naked woman, terrifying twin sisters and the whole 'Here's Johnny' business.
The movie that made everyone get out of the water, Jaws, is second on the list with a decent 161 calories lost, which is followed by The Exorcist, with 158. The rest of the list should be no surprise as they're all considered fucking terrifying, including Alien, Saw, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Paranormal Activity, The Blair Witch Project, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and [Rec]
So if you're worried about your weight, especially as winter approaches and comfort food kicks in, maybe a horror movie marathon could give you that added boost.
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Sources: Guardian
Topics: Horror, Weight, Interesting, UK Entertainment, US Entertainment, Films, Film & TV