If you’re in the mood for romance, then forget oysters and Viagra – it seems a daily fright could be just what you need to bring you and your partner closer together and fan the flames of passion.

In a recent survey of 500 people, three quarters said they enjoy watching horror movies, with more than half saying that they enjoy being scared by them – and with good reason, as it appears that they could be good for your love life, according to the SCI FI channel.

According to Donna Dawson, psychologist and member of the Dracula Society, “Apart from the proven physiological effects of an adrenaline rush in the body created by a good ‘scare’, there can be long-lasting emotional consequences, as well.”

Dawson says that psychological research has shown that meeting a stranger when physiologically aroused, actually increases the chance of having romantic feelings towards him or her.

“One study in particular has shown that couples were more aroused towards each other after watching a suspenseful, or horror-type thriller than after watching a calmer film,” she says. “This is due to a strong connection between anxiety, arousal and attraction, and one theory is that the rush of adrenaline felt when frightened gets mistaken for the thrill of attraction.”

Making a scary movie perfect first date material to kick start your love life!

And a horror movie could also be a great way of giving you a physical and mental boost when you find your energy levels flagging. Think of the moment in Jaws when Ben Gardner’s head falls from the hole in his boat, or when the Alien leaps from its egg on to John Hurt’s face.

Short scares such as these cause your body to release a shot of adrenaline, which triggers a number of physiological effects including the “fight or flight” response – a natural reaction to danger that leads your body to prepare to put up a fight or run away. As a result, we enjoy an instant cardio-vascular workout as our heart starts to beat faster in an effort to supply more oxygen to our limbs and brain.

Two American psychologists noted this effect in 2003 when they saw an increase of between eight and 11 beats in the heart rates of 60 people as they watched scenes from horror movies.

And in order to oxygenate this increased blood flow, our lungs, throat and nostrils open up and our breathing becomes deeper - leading to an energy boost for our muscles.

In addition, fear sharpens our senses – leading to a heightened feeling of alertness and razor-sharp focus. This sudden clarity of thought can lead us to breakthroughs and brainwaves – perfect for those moments when we’re lacking inspiration.

This was further explored in a study at Rice University in Houston, Texas, which showed that being exposed to the pheromones released by people frightened by horror movies led to markedly improved performances in tests of concentration.

The SCI FI Channel, whose “Scariest Night on TV” begins this Friday, carried out the survey in an attempt to explore the positive effects of the short sharp shocks offered by horror films.

Hosted by Dr Terry Fying (comedian Steve Furst) ‘The Scariest Night on TV’ is a double-bill of scary movies every Friday at 9pm on SCI FI.