The dark nights have arrived, and right on cue, Mike Flanagan has turned his attention to one of Stephen King’s most iconic tales of teenage torment and supernatural terror… Carrie. The story of a schoolgirl with telekinetic powers – the fictional ability to move objects using the mind alone – has gripped our morbid imaginations for decades. Little wonder, then, that this horror classic is getting a new lease of life in a television adaptation. But while we ourselves may not be able to bend spoons or move furniture, we do possess our own real-world form of ‘internal-telekinesis’. Through mental focus and controlled breathing, we can influence our heart rate and help calm an overworked nervous system.

If someone needed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and you had the skills, you’d give it to them without wasting a second, right? Wrong. Almost a third of men say they would hesitate to perform CPR on a woman for fear of being accused of inappropriate touching. A similar number also worry about accidentally hurting women, and almost a quarter are concerned they could make the situation worse. So, to remind everyone that it’s ok to touch someone’s chest when you’re trying to save their life, we’re raising awareness with St John Ambulance.

For many, Halloween has become a second Christmas. Spooky decorations appear earlier each year, evoking the same sense of nostalgia and anticipation as the festive season. But despite its medley of frights, screams, and jump scares, why does a holiday built around fear make us feel so cosy? We spoke to a psychotherapist about why feeling scared can sometimes feel good, and whether watching horror films could actually benefit our mental health.