Horror movies are bad for your health
There goes your Halloween
I've never really been a fan of horror movies. Although I can handle them better these days, I still prefer to watch something that allows me to sleep at night. And that turns out to be quite a good choice. Horror movies can actually be bad for your health. Maybe it's better to make other plans for Halloween.
Fight or flight
While watching a horror movie, your body produces extra stress hormones, such as cortisol. This puts you in a sort of ‘fight-or-flight’ mode, a natural response that your body uses to protect you from threats. You might know that what you see in the movie isn't real, or at least you try to remember that, but your body can find it harder to distinguish between real and fake. It reacts as if you are truly in danger: your heart rate and blood pressure rise, and you start to breathe faster.
Chronic stress
Actually, cortisol is quite useful for you. It helps you wake up in the morning and ensures that you maintain energy. In stressful situations, it helps your body protect itself. The hormone is released not only in life-threatening situations depicted in horror films but also in everyday things like work or study. Too much cortisol is dangerous; it can cause problems with your adrenal glands and digestion.
What are you going to watch?
It's not that you can never watch a horror movie. In most cases, the increase in your stress hormones is only temporary. Once the movie is over, it will start to decrease again, and you'll feel that relief. Are you someone who gets scared easily and experiences stress quickly or often? Then it might be better to watch something else. The scary movies will only raise your already high stress levels, which can lead to lasting problems. Watching something light-hearted after horror can help you calm down. Genres like comedy or romance release happiness hormones that work to reduce stress.
For those who dare to watch ‘The Exorcist’ this Halloween, it might be good to end the evening with a romcom.
