How Dogs Help Students Deal with Stress

With many essays and assignments, college life can be very stressful for college students. It seems difficult to take some time to breathe and relax. As a college student, you want to lessen your anxiety and achieve a better sense of belonging.

Owning a pet dog can make you happy and reduce worries about your obligations. Besides calming you, a dog distresses you by offering unique social support. Many studies have proven that dogs are even capable of improving your overall health.

Let’s look at the details of how dogs can help you to deal with stress.

Health Benefits of Dogs for College Students

Prioritize wellness

College life is stressful, and it’s hard to find enough time to relax. You will always have something to do- a lecture to attend, an assignment to complete, or an exam to prepare. Interacting with dogs is one of the best ways to manage blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol levels. Dogs can help you to find balance and focus on your overall wellness. This is a great chance to let go of stress and experience joy.

Owning a dog can reduce the risk of heart disease. This is because you become more physically active and enjoy the social benefits of interacting with the dog. Pets also lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure, so you are less likely to be obese.

Sometimes you want to cope with stress by enjoying the company of your dog, yet assignments are piling up. You can take research paper help or may also hire a writer for an essay in a few steps from Edubirdie and continue taking care of your pet. Edubirdie is the best essay writing service with qualified writers to complete your assignments in record time.

Make sure you get the right breed of dog that you could handle while doing all your academic tasks. For example, getting a super-active dog breed would be ideal as such dogs require a lot of your time to exercise.

Recommended: Lycan Shepherd Dog

Make you more active

Daily exercise is one of the major benefits of owning a dog. Dogs give you a reason to be outdoors and enjoy the fresh air. This improves your mood, mental health, and sleep patterns. A dog provides companionship, a sense of purpose, and love that encourages you to be more physically active.

You can spend up to 300 minutes weekly walking with your dog. Dog owners are more likely to meet their daily walking targets than other people. Being more active reduces your body’s stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline. It stimulates the release of the endorphin hormone that acts as a mood elevator. So, you can study well and complete all your academic tasks.

Create a sense of belonging

Bonding with a pet creates a sense of belonging – you don’t get lonely. When you see, hear, or touch your dog, it brings a sense of joy, happiness, nurturing, and goodwill. Dogs are sources of emotional and social support that are important for managing stress. By interacting with your dog, you will feel less lonely and have greater self-esteem.

Manage anxiety

Maybe you often feel nervous or struggle with mental health issues. Pets provide support and companionship that can ease college-related stress. Dogs are sensitive to human emotions, so they are great therapy animals. They also demonstrate empathy and sympathy by moaning when they realize that you are unhappy. They similarly respond when you are in emotional pain.

Owning a dog as a student can bring peace, company, and comfort to your life. Dogs offer additional benefits in stress management processes because they are compassionate and caring. By visiting your college campus, they make you less anxious so that you can enjoy your college life.

Boosts motivation

Motivation is one of the most important factors that influence success. Dogs help with reading interventions and trauma while creating a positive school climate. Interacting with dogs can improve your reading skills and stimulate memory. They can also stimulate your problem-solving skills and optimize executive-functioning skills.

The presence of a dog in the classroom or an educational setting supports attention, motivation, and concentration. It promotes relaxation and reduces stress levels which may inhibit your learning and overall performance. Bonding with your dog may help you to feel more confident and connected. They influence cognitive development, which is essential for boosting study motivation. The presence of a dog may help you to overcome reading fears and bring a sense of motivation.

What are the best breeds for college students?

Each dog is different and specific breeds have specific pros and cons. But in general, the following dog breeds do the best for college students.

  • French Bulldog
  • Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
  • Golden Retriever
  • Labrador Retriever
  • Pug
  • Poodle
  • Dachshund

Conclusion

Owning a dog is one of the best ways to reduce stress. Dogs have therapeutic benefits, so you can have a great time with them while in college. Dogs help you to prioritize wellness, be physically active, and create a sense of belonging. They also help to manage anxiety and boost motivation. Enjoy being with your pet in college and at home, and you will manage your student life.

Recommended read – Golden Dox Dog Breed Guide