A study conducted by Washington State University has confirmed that seeking comfort from a pet can have a “significant impact” on reducing stress levels. Even just ten minutes of daily interaction has been shown to lower cortisol, the stress hormone.
In the study, 249 students were divided into four groups. The first group enjoyed ten minutes of petting and playing with cats and dogs, while the other groups either viewed animal images, observed the first group, or remained isolated.
Saliva tests conducted after the session revealed that those who had the opportunity to interact with the animals had the lowest cortisol levels.
