Watching videos of our favorite animals is like medicine for body and mind. Confirmation in a study by the University of Leeds
Watching videos of our favorite animals is like medicine for body and mind. Confirmation in a study by the University of Leeds
Funny images of puppies playing, funny monkeys massaging each other, cute bird dances, elephant dives in water, happy quokkas and any other cute animal videos can help reduce stress levels by up to 50%. this is confirmed by a study conducted by the University of Leeds in collaboration with Western Australia Tourism. (READ also: The Most Exciting Animal Rescues and Releases of 2020)
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Scientists investigated how looking at pictures and videos of cute animals for 30 minutes affects blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety. The study involved 19 participants, of whom 15 were university students preparing to take an exam the same day and 4 were staff members who reported feeling stressed at work.
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The results of the study showed that in each individual participant, heart rate decreased by an average of 6,65%, mean blood pressure dropped significantly from 136/88 to 115/71 and there was also a sharp drop in heart rate. anxiety, between 30% and 50%, in just 30 minutes of viewing the video.
“It would seem that the images are attractive, but the video clips are more meaningful, and therefore I would expect that physical contact could have an even better outcome. With such solid results, we will implement this relaxation method in other departments so that more students can relax before their exams, ”explained Dr Andrea Utley, Professor at the University of Leeds.
Watching videos of cute animals is therapy. Living in a stressful routine, in polluted and noisy environments, the body becomes a bomb full of ailments or bad habits.
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“The large improvement observed in the mood and health of the study participants is remarkable and is a clear sign of how important wildlife experiences are to our well-being,” says Elen Thomas, manager of Tourism Western Australia.
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If you can't take a walk outdoors or have little time at work to recharge your batteries, now you know what to do. Watching cute animal videos has never been so healthy.
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