10 Minutes of Cuddling Dogs: Instant Benefits Unveiled!
The greatest benefit of petting a dog is its ability to alleviate stress and improve our mood.
Let's delve into the findings from Washington State University: just a few minutes of petting a dog can significantly reduce your cortisol levels.
"Within just 10 minutes, you'll notice a noticeable change," Associate Professor Patricia Pendry from the Department of Human Development at Washington State University wrote on the first page of this report. The root cause behind this research was surprisingly the alarmingly high suicide rates among American college students!
Over the past decade, an increasing number of college students have been experiencing suicidal thoughts, selfharm, anxiety, and depression due to academic stress. To better manage their emotions and help relieve stress, Washington State University initiated a program called AVP.
What is AVP? It involves prearranged dogs being brought into classrooms for students to interact with during lessons. This seemingly simple activity has dramatically reduced the suicide rates and incidence of illness among the university's students. It's for this reason that this research has been brought to the attention of the national legislature, with the slogan, "Universities should have courses that include dog interaction."
Can petting a dog really release human stress?
Research shows that after direct contact with dogs, humans experience a significant drop in their cortisol levels.
What is cortisol? It's a secretion that provides a positive feedback to stress. Imagine encountering a tiger; without cortisol, you might just tremble in place instead of thinking of running away.
Cortisol is a beneficial hormone within the body, but when it's secreted for extended periods, it can lead to symptoms like increased blood sugar, increased appetite, weight gain, decreased libido, and extreme fatigue.
People with high levels of psychological stress, a fastpaced lifestyle, and those who stay up late often have higher cortisol levels.
