Survey reveals link between horror movies and fear of the dark

Three in 10 American adults are still afraid of the dark, according to new research.

The survey of 2,000 general population Americans revealed 29% of respondents admitted they still have a fear of the dark, with men slightly more likely than women to have this fear (33% vs. 26%).

A quarter of respondents (24%) sleep with a nightlight, potentially to help combat this, while 10% sleep with the lights on — with twice as many men doing this (15% vs. 7%).

One in 10 (11%) also still sleeps with a stuffed animal or other comfort item.

Conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Avocado Green Mattress (https://www.avocadogreenmattress.com), the survey looked at how scary movies — especially in the lead-up to Halloween — can affect this fear of the dark.

Overall, 28% of respondents said they “love” watching horror movies and try to watch as many as they can.

Men were more likely to love horror movies (33% vs. 24%) — and on the other end of the scale, one in five women (21%) said they “hate” horror movies (compared to 7% of men).

For those who watch horror movies, women were more likely to be scared both during and after the movie (41% vs. 28%).

But after watching a horror movie, men were more likely to get nightmares — with 24% admitting they “always” or “often” have nightmares, compared to 13% of women.

An increase in nightmares wasn’t the only way horror movies impact Americans’ sleep, either.

Data found after watching a horror movie, many respondents were more likely to wake up during the night (28%), have lower-quality sleep (22%) and sleep for fewer hours (12%).

“With everything in October’s ‘spooky season’ — from horror movies to haunted houses and other Halloween celebrations — it’s no wonder that some Americans aren’t sleeping as well this month,” said Laura Scott, director of brand marketing at Avocado Green Mattress. “People may be staying up later to celebrate in the weeks leading up to Halloween, and especially if they’re watching horror movies, our data shows their sleep may suffer as a result.”

The survey also looked at Daylight Saving Time, which ends on Sunday, Nov. 2, asking respondents about any expected impact on their sleep.

Respondents were unclear about the time change — 32% incorrectly believed an hour of sleep would be lost, while 13% weren’t sure.

And a fifth of Americans surveyed said it would take more than a week for them to adjust to the time change.

Thirty-nine percent said the trade-off — an extra hour of sleep for less light in the evenings — is worth it, but 62% said they would get rid of the time change altogether if they could.

A study in 2024 found similar results: 35% said the trade-off was worth it, while 59% would prefer to stop changing the clocks for Daylight Saving Time.

“Beyond Halloween and horror movies, we also have the end of Daylight Saving Time to prepare for in the coming weeks,” said Scott. “It’s no surprise to us that the majority of people surveyed would rather get rid of the time change — not only did our data also reflect this sentiment last year, but we understand how difficult it can be to adjust, even when it’s just an hour change.

“Making sure to get a good night’s sleep in the days leading up to the time change can help your body adjust — as well as switching your clocks as soon as you get up, to help your mind focus on the ‘new’ time.”