The Atlas Obscura Podcast · Friday, October 30, 2026
Researchers at the Recreational Fear Lab conducted a survey during the COVID-19 pandemic and found that people who enjoyed horror and pandemic-themed entertainments slept better, reported less anxiety, and had fewer concerns about the future, suggesting a psychological protective effect.
“that folks who watched, who enjoyed horror entertainments, and in particular, movies that involve things like pandemics, during the actual covid 19 pandemic slept better reported less anxiety reported less concern about what was going to happen next”
“It really did appear that there was this kind of protective effect happening scientifically.”