How Horror Movies Effect Our Brain

Cinema is one of the great passions of many people, as is the horror genre. These types of horror stories have various effects on our brains, some of which you may not have known about. Know what the consequences are after having enjoyed this type of film.

When we watch horror movies, our brain is in overdrive, interconnecting between different regions to anticipate perceived threats and prepare to respond accordingly.

The above statement was raised by the University of Turku (Finland) after an analysis, using magnetic resonance imaging, on how our brain behaves when watching a horror movie. The investigation found that the organ is constantly on alert to respond to possible shocks or threats.

Getting scared during movies makes your body instinctively react and try to protect itself.

Professor Lauri Nummenmaa explains that when we are watching horror movies there are two types of fear . The first is the "fear of anticipation", which is what we feel when we see a scene and we begin to feel that feeling that something does not quite fit or is not going well.

This is due to the search of our instincts to find any key that can eliminate fear, or directly activate our body's response.

"Scary movies are often the favorites of many people, even aware of the fear they will suffer", Huffington Post.

The second type of fear is the response to any type of "real danger" such as the surprise appearance of an evil entity in the film. When this reaction occurs, brain activity changes and the regions that control emotional processes, the evaluation of threats and decision-making in any situation become dominant.

During the movie, the body tends to calm down and focus us on what we are seeing, which is why the motor areas of the body go into a state of disconnection, but during the most terrifying scenes of the movie they will make our brain react to it and return start the rest of the bodily functions. That's when we scream or take a little jump.

Does terror benefit or traumatize?

It may be that many times, watching a horror movie causes some negative effects on our brain. However, there are also several positive effects. It all depends on how we react.

Negatives:

• Fear: The existence of this emotion may be constant after watching the movie, so that we are afraid of being in a dark room or being alone at night.
• Anxiety: Some people may be anxious about scary movies, a problem that can continue even into adulthood, if the film has affected us greatly. How to know if you have anxiety: 13 symptoms to detect it
• Insomnia: This is the most common psychological effect after watching a scary movie. Closing your eyes is synonymous with seeing the monster that has starred in the story, which makes it difficult for us to sleep without having nightmares. Ten tips for a good night's sleep, how to fall asleep?

Positives:

• Exercise our brain: The elements that are involved in a horror movie act as a stimulus for the brain and evoke activity in it, which releases neurotransmitters that, in turn, expand our ability to think. Sweets and their effect on our brain: six ways in which excess sugar can affect us
• Burns the same number of calories as a 30-minute walk: According to Dr. Richard McKenzie, Senior Lecturer and Specialist in Cellular Metabolism and Physiology at the University of Westminster, “As the pulse quickens and the blood flows throughout the body faster, the body experiences an increase in adrenaline. It is this fast-acting release of adrenaline, produced during short bursts of intense stress (or, in this case, triggered by fear), that is known to reduce appetite, increase basal metabolic rate, and ultimately burn a higher level of calories.
• It helps you strengthen the immune system: As explained before, when we watch a horror movie, our body secretes a large amount of adrenaline, as if we were running a race, and activates our immune system. A recent study showed that people who frequently watched horror movies had an increase in white blood cells.
• Helps deal with stress: Researchers believe that a good scare improves mood and helps you feel better. According to a study that was carried out in 2012, “the different neurotransmitters and hormones released during the experience could explain that. Or, by voluntarily choosing to endure a frightening or stressful activity, whether it's watching a weird movie or bungee jumping, chances are you'll experience a sense of success after all." Four steps to help people with stress overload
• Increase your ability to deal with extreme situations: When we watch a horror movie, we give our brain various visual stimuli of difficult situations, and urge it to find ways to deal with such scenarios. As we watch more and more horror movies, our brain learns new skills to deal with extreme situations and prepares us for future ones.