Get your SCARE ON!

From boosting our mood to helping us focus, there are unexpected benefits to being frightened

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Ever screamed at a horror film or felt you were taking your life in your hands by going on a rollercoaster ride? Some revel in these heart-racing experiences, while others go to great lengths to avoid them. However, it might surprise you to learn that these short bursts of fear can actually be good for you. Here's what thrills and spills can do for us.

INCREASE PLEASURE

Scaring ourselves silly is the perfect opportunity to kick back, as our brain sends our body into fight or flight mode, leading to the production of adrenalin and the pleasure hormones serotonin and dopamine.

'Fear is not all bad. It can be pretty wonderful,' reveals sociologist Dr Margee Kerr in a TEDx Talk. 'Doing something scary can feel rewarding. The more intense or scarier people report the experience, the greater their mood increases.' To understand your own response to threat, practice being afraid in different situations and notice how your body reacts.

GIVE A NATURAL HIGH