Study Says Petting Dogs<br />or Cats Can Reduce Stress.<br />A study commissioned by Washington State<br />University has found that comfort from an animal<br />can have a “significant impact” on stress levels.<br />In as little as 10 minutes, interacting with animals<br />was found to cause a significant reduction<br />of cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone.<br />The study, which involved almost 250 college<br />students, examined four different groups.<br />One group was allowed to interact with the cats<br />and dogs for 10 minutes, while the other three<br />groups either observed or remained isolated.<br />Researchers then took saliva samples from the<br />participants and found that those who directly<br />interacted with the animals had less cortisol.<br />Patricia Pendry, an associate<br />professor at WSU, believes the<br />study shows “exciting” results.<br />What we wanted to learn was whether this exposure would help students reduce their stress in a less subjective way … the reduction of stress hormones may, over time, have significant benefits for physical and mental health, Patricia Pendry, via TheLadders.com
