The Science Of Scary: 10 Reasons Why You Love Being Scared

10. Scary Movies Are Good For You

Good news, watching your favourite horror classics might be good for you.

It is thought that the effect of being able to "survive" a scary film could actually have a positive impact of mental health, and experiencing fear in that controlled environment may actually equip you to deal with frightening and stressful situations in the future.

Aside from the mental impact of horror, your favourite slasher flick could actually help you shift the pounds. Research has shown that the spike in adrenaline levels that we experience when watching horror movies actually increases the metabolic rate (that's how much energy the body uses).

You could burn up to 184 calories watching The Shining, that's about the same as a bag of Malteasers (although probably not the family-sized bag you get at the cinema).

If you're always fighting a cold around Hallowe'en, then there's even more good news as some surprising research has shown that horror movies may actually boost your immune system. The "fight or flight" response to danger kick starts white blood cell production in anticipation of healing wounds and fighting infection.

Forget the Lemsip, just reach for The Evil Dead next time you feel the sniffles coming on.