Having a pet can help reduce stress and ease feelings of loneliness. A recent study reports that they can also help ease nervousness! UCLA studied seventy-six patients who had experienced heart failure. Some visited with a friendly canine; some visited with a friendly stranger. The folks who had a visit from a four-legged friend saw a huge drop in anxiety levels — anxiety scores went down twenty-four percent! The people who had dog visits also saw a seventeen percent drop in levels of epinephrine, a stress hormone. The folks with the two-legged visitors did see some easing of nervousness and … Continue reading →