Ever felt the urge to get frisky with boo while having a horror movie night? Does watching horror leave you with a tingling sensation down there or your clit suddenly somersaults with no prior warning? Turns out, you’re not alone.

The science behind it is simple: bodily arousal and the typical physiological response to fear. Dr. Holly Richmond, a certified sex therapist, elaborated on why you might feel turned on, and it’s the cortisol, baby. Cortisol is a stress hormone that’s responsible for prepping your body to deal with danger. The process involves blood gushing toward your extremities (aka, your genitals), which can explain why you’d feel like getting into it yuh as you enjoy those paranormal entities through the screen.

Let's take a closer look at why your horny nerve spruces up while binging horror flicks with your date and how you can put that to good use (sex, duh). *winkwink*

Blame the Jumpscare

While screaming and shivering might be what you see on the outside the minute you approach a scary scene, there’s a lot more that goes into BTS. Margee Kerr, a sociologist-fear researcher highlighted various responses to fear: from increased breathing and heart rate to sweating profusely. These responses might also be common in situations like hooking up for the first time, and during sexual arousal.  

 Touch is All It Takes

Another side to this horror-horny story is how being in close proximity to someone you find attractive can help you experience pleasure, especially when we’re tensed or scared. This calls for a lot of cuddling, eye contact, handholding, and stealing kisses. Getting spooked might make you wanna be the lil’ spoon, and that’s completely normal!

Time for Action 

If you feel like getting frisky with bae, take a quick check-in with them. Whisper in their ears what you’d like to start with (placing your hands differently or scooching toward them) and ensure you’re on the same page. Once you both are there and feeling the pleasure kick in, play around with the tension. This could look like softly grinding against each other or planting kisses on the neck. If you’re looking to take things up a notch, feel free to grab Aunt Sassy’s G-town famous, OG full body massager, and let those vibes stir up a storm. What cums next, well *ahem* you already know.

Now that you know how to make the best of those Netflix, Horror & Chill nights with your SO, we just have one question for you: 

"Are you still watching …?"

About the Author 

Anuja (she/her) is our Creator-in-Residence. After exploring all the different ways she could talk about who she identifies as, this is the closest she could get: “I’m your quintessential dog hoomum with a blue typewriter, living three blocks away, probably writing about you."