Can Watching A Scary Movie Count As A Cardio Workout?

With the second installment of Stephen King's "It" coming to theaters this weekend, my family and I re-watched the first movie. It's scary, even the second time around. I have always loved horror movies and it's a love that I share with my teenage daughter.

It got me thinking as I sat there with a pounding heart and sweaty palms...I wonder what's really going on to your body when you watch a scary movie....and can I count that as my cardio for the day?

The short answer is, your heart rate is elevated, your muscles tense and you starting sweating. Can I count this as a workout? Probably not according to an article in Buzzfeed.

"Generally, the increase in heart rate you get from a scary movie is similar to the increase you'd experience during mild to moderate exercise."

However, they point out that the increased heart rate comes in spikes during the movie, not prolonged like a cardio workout.

So basically if you thought you could skip the gym by going to see a scary movie this weekend, it's not quite the same.