Have you ever thought about why dogs can make us so happy? After a long day, coming home to a dog is the best feeling in the world. Some schools even provide dogs during finals week because they relieve so much stress. Studies show that interactions with therapy animals, especially dogs, can decrease stress in humans. Playing with or petting a dog can increase levels of the stress-reducing hormone oxytocin and decrease production of the stress hormone cortisol. … Reduced stress can also benefit physical health. Is it because dogs are so cute? Or because they’re friendly? Or because they want to play all the time? Here are eight reasons why dogs reduce stress..
- Just being around an animal decreases your blood pressure, which is one physical measure of stress.
- Our pets decrease our reactions to stressful situations.
- Pet owners on average get more exercise, especially dog owners.
- People with pets are less likely to say they feel loneliness, which is one common source of stress.
- Dogs help you be in the moment.
- Dogs lower stress by fulfilling our need for touch, which we find comforting. And what’s more, they feel the same way about it.
- Pets seem to help support feelings that make you more resilient at dealing with stress. One study from psychologists at Miami University and Saint Louis University showed that pet owners had better self-esteem and tended to be less lonely, less fearful, less depressed and less preoccupied than people without pets — and that all of these qualities correlated with feeling less perceived stress.
- Finally, they make us laugh!
Hopefully this blog convinced you to become a dog lover if you aren’t already. So…if your feeling stressed head over to the dog section of the pet store and make yourself at home.