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The Health Benefits of Cute
This Week's Tips
Those TV shows featuring people's home videos of their pets' antics? They may actually be good for more than just a laugh.
Watching videos of animal life may help you beat stress. In a study, people who watched 10 minutes of scaly, feathered, or furry footage experienced dips in both heart rate and blood pressure.
Be Prepared
Got a stressful event coming up, like an unpleasant dental procedure or a tough meeting at work? Watch a few minutes of a wildlife show before heading out of the house. After 10 minutes, you'll not only have reduced your heart rate and blood pressure, but you'll also have created a buffer against the physical effects of your upcoming nail-biter. The sound doesn't even have to be on in order for you to reap the calming benefits of the video.
More Stress-Cutting Strategies
If images of four-legged friends don't do the trick, here are some other relaxation strategies to try.
RealAge Benefit:
Taking care of your emotional health and well-being can make your RealAge up to 16 years younger.
The effect of videotapes of animals on cardiovascular responses to stress. Wells, D. L., Stress and Health 2005 Aug;21(3):209-213.
