Horror Films: Your New High-Performance Training Tool

Scaring the crap out of yourself can be good for you (and Freddy, and Jason, and Michael...)

I’m thinking of having myself a mini Halloween movie-fest through weekend. Potential titles include:

• Stephen King’s Creepshow (reminds me of watching movies with my dad when I was 5)

• Scream (an eternal classic)

• The Shining (the only movie that ever really scared me)

• Sleepy Hollow (so beautiful and ethereal, years before Johnny Depp turned out to be a teeny bit sociopathic)

• Us (smart social commentary masquerading as a classic home invasion story) 

Along with thinking about which movies to watch, I’ve also been wondering… 

Why do I – and millions of other people – do this type of thing? 

Why do people actually derive enjoyment cowering under blankets, imagining the terrifying source of every shadow and sound, shooting selfie videos like they’re in The Blair Witch Project? (Unless that last part is just me?)

The short answer is – when you watch horror movies, your body releases adrenaline, dopamine, and endorphins. This chemical cocktail allows you to feel the thrill of danger with minimal actual risk. 

It’s all part of a natural high that can leave you feeling euphoric afterward. 

Not to mention that there's something uniquely satisfying about surviving a scary experience. Yes, even if it's just making it through The Exorcist without covering your eyes. It's like a controlled way to test your limits and prove your resilience.

The Biology Behind the Boo

When you encounter, say, Pennywise the Clown (or any clown really, because all clowns are sinister as hell), your amygdala – the fear center of your brain – immediately activates… and triggers a cascade of physical symptoms.

Your heart starts racing. 

Muscles tensing. 

Energy surging. 

Pupils dilating, to better see what you’re dealing with. 

Blood flowing to your major muscle groups, getting you ready to move. 

This all happens in a fraction of a second, before your conscious mind even has time to process what you've seen. It's an ancient survival mechanism that served our ancestors well when facing real predators.

Now if you’re reading this, you probably don’t really have to worry about what you might face in the wild. But over the course of thousands of years, human instinct remains intact. So now you get to experience this instant-action response as a simulation, from the safety of your couch.

We Haven’t Even Talked About Your Breath 

I left something out of that little list of physical fear symptoms above. Did you catch it?

Of course you did. Ding ding ding!

Yeah… when you’re in a heightened state of fear (or just good old excitement, which your body interprets the same way), your breathing changes.

It gets faster and more shallow, staying concentrated in your upper chest. It also tends to become more erratic. You might lose your stable rhythm or even hold your breath without realizing it. 

This is a normal and natural response. But what if actively controlling it could actually enhance your horror movie experience?

You Can Control Your Fear Response 

Here’s an experiment to try for your own Halloween movie-fest. You’re gonna use your breath like a volume knob for fear.

You can decide to turn it up with quick, shallow breathing to intensify those “holy sh*t” startles. 

Or if you’re over them, you can intentionally dial your breathing down… calming your nervous system and minimizing the likelihood of launching your popcorn across the room.

So during intense scenes, notice your breath. Are you holding it? What’s the speed like? The depth?

If you want to amp up the thrill: focus on take quick, shallow breaths through your mouth. Feel your heart race? That's your stress response kicking into high gear. 

[Note: Use the judgment that’s gotten you this far in life. If you start to hyperventilate, you’re taking it way too far.]

Decided you’ve had enough? All you need to do is slow it down.

This pace is super easy to remember – perfect for those moments when you’re so freaked out you can barely remember your own name. These slow breaths will get your heart rate down, and everything else will follow. 

5-5-5 Breathing

Inhale through your nose for a count of 5. 

Exhale through your nose or mouth for a count of 5.

Pause for a count of 5 before your next inhale.

That’s it. Super simple, like I said. I’d give you a number of minutes to do it for (3 to 5 is a good start)... but I also know if you’re doing this while watching a scary movie, you might not be paying particular attention to the clock. 

So just do it as much as you’d like. You can’t overdo this technique.  

The Upside of Horror Beyond the Screen 

Plot twist: The ability to regulate your stress response through breath is a potent tool for everyday life. And the 5-5-5 technique is good for a lot of other things besides horror films.

Think of Halloween movies like a stress-response training ground. Each scare is an opportunity to practice breathing through intensity and managing your physiological response – skills that will serve you that will serve you well in your business and personal life.

So whether you're preparing for a big presentation… or having a difficult conversation… or waiting on some test results… or dealing with an unexpected business crisis… give the 5-5-5 breath above a whirl and see what you think.

Pinhead would approve.  

Last Gasp 

“The beautiful thing about fear is that when you run to it, you run away.”

— Robin Sharma

What Halloween movie is missing from my list that you would add? Let me know in the comments!