Furry friends are a great antidote for people handling stress, anxiety
Animals have been companions to humans for thousands of years. Dogs are believed to have been domesticated somewhere between 16,000 and 32,000 years ago, while cats are believed to have been domesticated between 9,500 and 12,000 years ago. Dogs and cats are not the only animal companions that people love today, but they are the most popular.
There is reason that people love their animals so much. While dogs may have protected earlier humans from wild animals and attackers, they now help protect modern day people from stress. Cats were domesticated and worshipped in ancient Egypt, and have since become a popular pet throughout the world.
Using animals for therapy is a real thing, and it does not just include our canine and feline companions. Therapy animals can be any animal that provides comfort during emotional distress. That’s right — these animals could even include miniature horses, lizards or even a pet duck.
The human body’s nervous system is made up of the sympathetic and the parasympathetic systems. The sympathetic system is the “fight or flight” reflex that a person experiences when a stressful situation occurs. The parasympathetic system is the “rest and digest” portion of the nervous system.
The fight or flight response can be a useful tool in accomplishing tasks, as a little stress can help one focus. However, too much stress can impact one’s overall health in a multitude of ways. Hormones can be out of whack, immune system function can suffer, tension headaches can occur and patience can begin to fray. In order to stay happy and healthy, it is important to take the necessary steps to activate the sympathetic nervous system once in a while in order to kick back, rest and digest.
Animals have been scientifically proven to counteract the sympathetic (fight or flight) response to stress. Having an animal to hang out with can lower blood pressure, decrease heart rate and stimulate the release of those feel good hormones in our brain (serotonin and dopamine). Animals have even been shown to decrease pain in people after surgery, reduce social anxiety and improve cognitive function.
Animals that make people happy do not have to be registered as therapy animals, nor do they have to go through the training that therapy animals go through. However, if these animals are to be “working animals” and are taken through hospitals, nursing homes or group gatherings, they must complete training and be registered as a therapy animal.
The human-animal bond is a mutually beneficial relationship for both pet and human alike. While animals benefit from a warm place to sleep, free food and the occasional belly rub, people benefit from the companionship, exercise and social support.
For people interested in reducing stress and playing with some puppies, Vandal Health Ed is hosting Palouse Paws, who will be bring therapy dogs to campus on Wednesday, Nov. 30 from 2-3:30 p.m. in the Idaho Commons Whitewater room. So come, sit, stay and best of all, relax.
Ian Middleton can be reached at [email protected]