What’s Going On in Your Body When You Watch a Horror Movie

A study from the University of Michigan looked at the long-lasting impact horror movies can have on kids, and found 1 in 4 people surveyed still suffered from what they called residual anxiety. Childhood exposure to elements from horror movies — think the shark from Jaws — creates a life-long fear, and that can manifest itself in a range of ways from sweating, chills, and fever all the way to shaking, nausea, stomach pains, dizziness, difficulty breathing, and even a feeling of paralysis. It's worth remembering that even though you think letting Little Jenny stay up to watch Evil Dead is hilarious, she won't think so when she grows up afraid of trees.