Dogs Help People Regulate Stress More Than Expected, Research Shows
Dogs Help People Regulate Stress More Than Expected, Research Shows
One of the best ways to relieve stress after a long, tough day is to have your dog greet you at the door when you get home. The wagging tail, wide-eyed happiness, and jumping up on you as if to say, “welcome home,” help to lift the pressure.
Over the last four decades, studies have shown that people feel more relaxed and believe they have more support with a dog. But a new study by researchers at the University of Denver suggests that dogs might have a more profound effect on humans than scientists previously believed.
The investigators at the University of Denver’s Institute for Human-Animal Connection (IHAC) expanded their research to learn more about how dogs can influence human health. As part of their study, the research team measured various biological indicators, or biomarkers, from the body’s two primary stress pathways:
1. The sympathoadrenal medullary (SAM) axis. The SAM axis plays a vital role in the body’s rapid response to stress. It initiates the “fight or flight” response that includes a surge of adrenaline, leading to a burst of energy that helps us meet threats. The response can be measured through alpha-amylase, an enzyme that helps the body respond to stress.
2. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis activates the adrenal glands to produce cortisol, a hormone that regulates various bodily functions, including the body’s response to stress.
Prolonged elevation of cortisol can make the body more susceptible to health problems. However, owning a dog may lower cortisol.
“Several studies have found that people exposed to a stressful situation have a lower cortisol response if they’re with a dog than if they’re alone—even lower than if they’re with a friend,” IHAC researchers Kevin Morris and Jaci Gandenberger wrote in their article for The Conversation.
“While these studies have shown that having a dog nearby can lower cortisol levels during a stressful event, suggesting the person is calmer, we suspected that was just part of the story.”
The IHAC Study
The IHAC researchers recruited 40 dog owners to participate in a 15-minute stress test that involved public speaking and oral math in front of a panel of expressionless people posing as behavioral specialists. The participants were randomly assigned to either bring their dogs to the stress test or leave them at home.
Researchers measured the participants’ heart rate, and cortisol was measured in blood samples taken before, immediately after, and about 45 minutes following the test as a biomarker of HPA axis activity. Alpha-amylase was measured in the same blood samples as a biomarker of the SAM axis.
To no one’s surprise, the participants who had their dog showed lower spikes in cortisol and heart rate. The cortisol levels of dog owners were 50 percent lower, and their heart rate increased by about 14.6 percent compared to 26.7 percent for participants without dogs.
But the team was somewhat surprised to find that the dog owners’ alpha-amylase increased by 97.6 percent, which indicated that their stress was reduced, leading to a healthy, balanced response. This group also recovered faster from the stress than participants without dogs.
“This shows that they were alert and engaged throughout the test, then able to return to normal within 45 minutes,” Morris, a Research Professor of Social Work, and Gandenberger, a Research Associate of Social Work, wrote. “That’s the sweet spot for handling stress effectively. Our research suggests that our canine companions keep us in a healthy zone of stress response.”
Participants without dogs, however, showed almost no response.
“No response may sound like a good thing, but in fact, a flat alpha-amylase response can be a sign of a dysregulated response to stress, often seen in people experiencing high stress responses, chronic stress or even PTSD,” Morris and Gandenberger wrote. “This lack of response is caused by chronic or overwhelming stress that can change how our nervous system responds to stressors.”
Health Benefits of Owning A Pet
Stress is a major problem in society. In a 2022 survey of 3,000 adults, over one-third of the respondents said they feel “completely overwhelmed” by stress.
Dogs help their owners to handle stress better. They not only make people feel more relaxed, but research shows that dog owners have a 24 percent lower risk of death and a four times greater chance of surviving for at least a year after a heart attack.
Reducing stress isn’t the only benefit that humans receive from pets. Studies have also found that social interaction between people and their dogs increases the levels of oxytocin, the same “feel-good’ hormone that bonds mothers to babies, according to Dr. Jeremy Barron, medical director of the Beacham Center for Geriatric Medicine at Johns Hopkins.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, having a pet can provide benefits, such as:
1. Lower blood pressure
Petting an animal can lower cortisol and blood pressure. “Petting and holding an animal allows you to appreciate the beauty of nature,” Dr. Barron said in an article on the Johns Hopkins Medicine website. “It’s relaxing and transcendental.”
2. Increase physical activity
Walking a dog in all types of weather at different times of the day and night may be inconvenient at times, but it all amounts to getting a daily dose of exercise.
3. Improves heart health
The American Heart Association published a study promoting dog ownership as a way to prevent cardiovascular disease.
4. Reduce loneliness and depression
“Caring for a pet provides a sense of purpose to the owner,” Barron said, and research supports this. For example, one study suggests that pets can provide greater social support than humans in reducing depression. According to a 2011 study, pet owners tend to have higher self-esteem. Plus, pets are a great way for pet owners to meet other people who share their love for animals.
5. Assist owners with their health issues
Dogs are used to help people who are blind or have mobility challenges. Dogs can also be trained to identify seizures, cancer, and other health conditions.
Currently, the University of Denver’s IHAC researchers are conducting a study on how psychiatric service dogs reduce PTSD in military veterans.
Morris and Gandenberger view dogs as more than “just good company.” The IHAC researchers wrote: “They might just be one of the most accessible and effective tools for staying healthy in a stressful world.”
This site offers information designed for educational purposes only. You should not rely on any information on this site as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or as a substitute for, professional counseling care, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional.
