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Daylights used to be slang for 'the eyes'. This came to mean 'the vital senses' over time.
We say 'beat' or 'scare' the living daylights out of someone.
When we use 'beat', we are talking about severe damage (at least making someone unconscious).
When we use 'scare', we are talking about causing someone to at least be quite shocked, and hope they start screaming out of fear. Fainting would not be ruled out.
Usually, though, when we use these idioms we are just blowing smoke (not really intending to beat someone up or frighten them to such a degree that their lights go out).
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