{"id":112208,"date":"2025-07-30T14:44:13","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T14:44:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/?post_type=news&p=112208"},"modified":"2025-07-30T14:44:13","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T14:44:13","slug":"dogs-are-helping-people-regulate-stress-even-more-than-expected-research-shows","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/dogs-are-helping-people-regulate-stress-even-more-than-expected-research-shows\/","title":{"rendered":"Dogs are helping people regulate stress even more than expected, research shows"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a 2022 survey of 3,000 U.S. adults, more than one-third of respondents reported that on most days, they feel \u201ccompletely overwhelmed<\/a>\u201d by stress. At the same time, a growing body of research is documenting the\u00a0negative health consequences of higher stress levels<\/a>, which include increased rates of cancer, heart disease, autoimmune conditions\u00a0and even dementia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Assuming people\u2019s daily lives are unlikely to get less stressful anytime soon, simple and effective ways to mitigate these effects are needed.<\/p>\n

This is where dogs can help.<\/p>\n

As researchers<\/a>\u00a0at the University of Denver\u2019s\u00a0Institute for Human-Animal Connection<\/a>,\u00a0we study<\/a>\u00a0the effects animal companions have on their humans.<\/p>\n

Dozens of studies<\/a>\u00a0over the last 40 years\u00a0have confirmed<\/a>\u00a0that\u00a0pet dogs help humans feel more relaxed<\/a>. This would explain the growing phenomenon of\u00a0people relying on emotional support dogs<\/a>\u00a0to assist them in navigating everyday life. Dog owners have also been shown to have a\u00a024% lower risk of death<\/a>\u00a0and a\u00a0four times greater chance of surviving<\/a>\u00a0for at least a year after a heart attack.<\/p>\n

Now, a new study that we conducted with a team of colleagues suggests that dogs might have a deeper and\u00a0more biologically complex effect on humans<\/a> than scientists previously believed. And this complexity may have profound implications for human health.<\/p>\n

How stress works<\/h5>\n

The\u00a0human response to stress<\/a>\u00a0is a finely tuned and coordinated set of various physiological pathways. Previous studies of the effects of dogs on human stress focused on just one pathway at a time. For our study, we zoomed out a bit and\u00a0measured multiple biological indicators of the body\u2019s state<\/a>, or\u00a0biomarkers<\/a>, from both of the body\u2019s major stress pathways. This allowed us to get a more complete picture of how a dog\u2019s presence affects stress in the human body.<\/p>\n

The stress pathways we measured are the\u00a0hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal, or HPA, axis<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0sympathoadrenal medullary, or SAM, axis<\/a>.<\/p>\n

When a person experiences a stressful event, the SAM axis acts quickly, triggering a \u201cfight or flight\u201d response that includes a surge of adrenaline, leading to a burst of energy that helps us meet threats. This response can be measured through an\u00a0enzyme called alpha-amylase<\/a>.<\/p>\n

At the same time, but a little more slowly, the HPA axis activates the adrenal glands to\u00a0produce the hormone cortisol<\/a>. This can help a person meet threats that might last for hours or even days. If everything goes well, when the danger ends, both axes settle down, and the body goes back to its calm state.<\/p>\n

While stress can be an uncomfortable feeling, it has been important to human survival. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors had to\u00a0respond effectively to acute stress events<\/a>\u00a0like an animal attack. In such instances, over-responding could be as ineffective as under-responding. Staying in an optimal stress response zone maximized humans\u2019 chances of survival.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>
Dogs can be more helpful than human friends in coping with stressful situations. Image by\u00a0alatyren<\/a>\u00a0from\u00a0Pixabay<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
More to the story<\/h5>\n

After cortisol is released by the adrenal glands, it eventually makes its way into your saliva, making it\u00a0an easily accessible biomarker to track responses<\/a>. Because of this, most research on dogs and stress has focused on salivary cortisol alone.<\/p>\n

For example, several studies have found that people exposed to a stressful situation have a\u00a0lower cortisol response if they\u2019re with a dog<\/a>\u00a0than if they\u2019re alone<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0even lower than if they\u2019re with a friend<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

What our study measured<\/h5>\n

For our study, we recruited about 40 dog owners to participate in a 15-minute\u00a0gold standard laboratory stress test<\/a>. This involves public speaking and oral math in front of a panel of expressionless people posing as behavioral specialists.<\/p>\n

The participants were randomly assigned to bring their dogs to the lab with them or to leave their dogs at home. We measured cortisol in blood samples taken before, immediately after and about 45 minutes following the test as a biomarker of HPA axis activity. And unlike previous studies, we also measured the enzyme alpha-amylase in the same blood samples as a biomarker of the SAM axis.<\/p>\n

As expected based on previous studies, the people who had their dog with them showed lower cortisol spikes. But we also found that people with their dog experienced a clear spike of alpha-amylase, while those without their dog showed almost no response.<\/p>\n

No response may sound like a good thing, but in fact, a flat alpha-amylase response can be\u00a0a sign of a dysregulated response to stress<\/a>, often seen in people experiencing high stress responses, chronic stress\u00a0or even PTSD<\/a>. This lack of response is caused by chronic or overwhelming stress that can change how our nervous system responds to stressors.<\/p>\n

In contrast, the participants with their dogs had a more balanced response: Their cortisol didn\u2019t spike too high, but their alpha-amylase still activated. This shows that they were alert and engaged throughout the test, then able to return to normal within 45 minutes. That\u2019s the sweet spot for handling stress effectively. Our research suggests that our canine companions keep us in a healthy zone of stress response.<\/p>\n

Dogs and human health<\/h5>\n

This more nuanced understanding of the biological effects of dogs on the human stress response opens up exciting possibilities. Based on the results of our study, our team has begun a new study using thousands of biomarkers to delve deeper into the biology of how psychiatric service dogs\u00a0reduce PTSD in military veterans<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But one thing is already clear: Dogs aren\u2019t just good company. They might just be one of the most accessible and effective tools for staying healthy in a stressful world.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Original Post \u00a0The Conversation US, Inc.<\/a><\/p>\n

Authors<\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. \"\"Kevin Morris<\/span><\/a>\n

    Research Professor of Social Work, University of Denver<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  2. \"\"Jaci Gandenberger<\/span><\/a>\n

    Research Associate of Social Work, University of Denver<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    In a 2022 survey of 3,000 U.S. adults, more than one-third of respondents reported that on most days, they feel \u201ccompletely overwhelmed\u201d by stress. 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