According to new research, scaring yourself senseless with a terrifying horror movie can help burn calories.
Indulging in just 90 minutes of adrenaline pumping horror can burn up to 113 calories, the equivalent of a bar of chocolate, or close to the amount used up during a half hour walk.
The study measured the total energy expenditure of ten case studies as they watched a selection of some of film's most frightening movies - recording the heart rate, oxygen intake and carbon dioxide output of each individual.
The results revealed that on average, the number of calories used rose by at least a third whilst watching the frighteners, compared to at rest. The unavoidable twists and turns common to every good scary movie were evident in the heart rate patterns of the volunteers tested, with the average heart rate doubling over the course of 90 minutes.
According to the study, movies full of moments designed to make viewers jump, have the potential to use up even more calories. Sudden shocks or particularly terrifying moments prompted the petrified case studies to gasp, provoking an increase in the uptake of oxygen and causing heart rates to soar.
LOVEFiLM top ten 'calorie burning frighteners' are*:
1. The Shining: 184 calories
2. Jaws: 161 calories
3. The Exorcist: 158 calories
4. Alien: 152 calories
5. Saw: 133 calories
6. A Nightmare on Elm Street: 118 calories
7. Paranormal Activity: 111 calories
8. The Blair Witch Project: 105 calories 9. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: 107 calories 10. [Rec]: 101 calories
Dr Richard Mackenzie, Senior Lecturer and specialist in cell metabolism and physiology at the University of Westminster, explained the findings:
"Each of the ten 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. 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."
