Looking for a horror movie that will make your heart race and leave you with sleepless nights?
A recent study by the Science of Scare Project has revealed which films are most effective at elevating your heart rate and creating that lingering sense of dread.
The research involved strapping heart-rate monitors to 250 participants and measuring how various horror films affected their heart rate in two key ways: overall beats per minute (BPM) and heart rate variability (HRV). BPM spikes are indicative of intense moments, like jump scares, while HRV drops are a sign of sustained anxiety and tension.
The study combined these metrics into a “Scare Score” to determine which films are the most terrifying. The highest possible score is 100.
Topping the list is Sinister (2012), which scored an impressive 96. The film starts with a familiar premise – a family moving into a new house – and quickly escalates into something far more sinister. According to Roger Ebert, the ending is “horrifying” without giving too much away.
The list predominantly features recent releases, with many from the past few years. Talk to Me, which secured the 10th spot, follows a group of teens who use an embalmed hand to communicate with the dead – with terrifying consequences.
Here’s a quick look at the top 10 films based on their Scare Scores:
Sinister – BPM: 86, Highest Spike: 131 BPM, HRV Drop: 21%, Scare Score: 96 Host – BPM: 88, Highest Spike: 130 BPM, HRV Drop: 18%, Scare Score: 95 Skinamarink – BPM: 84, Highest Spike: 113 BPM, HRV Drop: 22%, Scare Score: 91 Insidious – BPM: 85, Highest Spike: 133 BPM, HRV Drop: 18%, Scare Score: 90 The Conjuring – BPM: 84, Highest Spike: 132 BPM, HRV Drop: 18%, Scare Score: 88 Hereditary – BPM: 82, Highest Spike: 104 BPM, HRV Drop: 19%, Scare Score: 81 Smile – BPM: 83, Highest Spike: 114 BPM, HRV Drop: 15%, Scare Score: 78 The Exorcism of Emily Rose – BPM: 82, Highest Spike: 96 BPM, HRV Drop: 17%, Scare Score: 76 Hell House LLC – BPM: 81, Highest Spike: 107 BPM, HRV Drop: 16%, Scare Score: 75 Talk to Me – BPM: 79, Highest Spike: 106 BPM, HRV Drop: 15%, Scare Score: 75
For comparison, Shrek has a Scare Score of just 3, highlighting how far some movies can push the limits of fear.(
