Photo caption Quokka: 'World's happiest animal'. Photo credit: Instagram/@cambojones2020
Can animal pictures and videos de-stress you? Yes it appears they can.
According to a NatWest Student Living Index 2019, survey of 3,604 UK university students found almost half (45 %) feel stressed by their course, especially during exam periods and the number of students dropping out due to mental health issues is increasing.
Tourism Western Australia and The University of Leeds partnered up to explore the physiological and psychological impact of ‘cute’ animals on students and staff at the University of Leeds.
In the small sample study 19 participants were asked to watch a 30-minute slide show that included video and still images of kittens, baby gorillas and quokkas (found on Australia's Rottnest Island and often referred to as the world’s happiest animal) before they sat an exam.
When tested after the slide show, heart rates for every single participant had dropped, their anxiety levels were reduced on average by 35% and the average blood pressure had dropped 14.9% in systolic blood pressure and an 18.28% drop in diastolic blood pressure. All of which proves that watching cute animals is good for your health.
Interestingly the videos were deemed to be more effective than the still images.
More info on the research here: https://www.firststopsingapore.com/en/study-quokkas-can-be-good-for-your-health/