From VICE · Ashley Fike · · 40s
Petting Dogs After Stress Helps Later
Petting dogs after stress reduces future anxiety.
In brief
Petting dogs after stress reduces future anxiety. Petting dogs after stress lowers brain activity and heart rate during later stress tests. Originally reported by VICE.
Dog owners and pets
Researchers at Austria’s University of Innsbruck studied 64 dog owners and their pets.
Stress test setup
Participants answered trivia and solved math problems while a researcher criticized their performance.
Petting session
Participants spent five minutes with dogs either freely or on short leashes.
Stress test results
People who petted dogs showed calmer brain activity and slower heart rates during second stress test.
Self-reported stress
Participants didn’t notice the difference in stress levels, as self-reported stress didn’t match measurements.
What matters most
Petting dogs after stress lowers brain activity and heart rate during later stress tests.
