15 minutes with a dog and stress goes away

The back-to-school bell is about to ring, and for some, this event heralds nothing but stress and worry. The question then remains: how can we return to a state of secure serenity and better manage what is troubling us?

Researchers from Chiang Mai University in Thailand, in work shared in PLOS One, have highlighted a rather original method.

To obtain the desired results, 120 students participated in a test. First, these participants answered a stress assessment questionnaire and agreed to provide a saliva sample to analyze the stress hormone, cortisol. Their pulse and blood pressure were then taken by the researchers. Finally, the students were each introduced to a dog, very well-behaved but little (or not at all) accustomed to animal-assisted therapy, according to Futura-sciences. They could interact with the animal as they saw fit, pet it, observe it, cuddle it, etc.

Shelters Full of Stress-Relieving Drugs

What emerged from the test? Both the students AND the dogs were much less stressed. Their stress levels had decreased by 33.5%, according to self-reported levels, a figure confirmed by cortisol levels and pulse measurements.

If you don't have a dog at home wagging its tail and eagerly awaiting your petting, don't worry; shelters have plenty of them, and they're happy to offer you the chance to pet them, play with them, or even take them for walks.

(MH with Raphaël Liset - Source : Futura-sciences - Illustration : ©Unsplash)