This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Coming home to a four-legged furry friend wagging their tail can ease the stress accumulated throughout the day. Since time immemorial, humans have found comfort in petting their dogs. A large body of research acknowledges the well-being benefits of pet ownership, but the mechanisms that drive those benefits remain murky.

In a recent study published in Biological Psychology, researchers from the University of Innsbruck invited 64 dog owners and their pets to a lab to investigate whether petting a dog could help people handle stress better, and whether physical touch was the key to this effect on the brain and body.

After completing a set of stress-inducing tasks, participants who petted their dogs did not recover faster in measures such as heart rate or brain wave patterns. However, the touch helped buffer the body against subsequent stress. As a result, they showed a calmer biological response when faced with a second stressful task.

Humans and animals have lived together since our ancestors were cave dwellers. The relationship wasn't the way it is today. It started with humans keeping animals mainly for practical purposes such as helping with hunting, animal husbandry or guarding, but it developed into emotional companionship.

Past medical and psychological research has found that pets may do more than offer companionship. Pet ownership has been linked to better survival after heart problems, less loneliness and greater overall happiness.

Source link