How cute animals can reduce our stress levels - according to the study, just by looking at them
Created: 12/27/2022, 12:30 p.m
By: Anne Hund
Videos with cute animals such as the Australian quokka are not only in demand on Instagram.
According to researchers, the images can have a calming effect.
Watching animal videos is a nice pastime for many people.
But sometimes there is supposedly more to it than that.
In a previous study, researchers at the University of Leeds in the UK found that looking at cute animals -- like the Australian quokka, often dubbed the "happiest animal alive" -- can have a calming effect on people.
How cute animals can reduce our stress levels - according to the study, just by looking at them
According to the knowledge magazine Galileo
, the participants watched
a half-hour video of Australian quokkas, among others, for the study.
Thanks to the special shape of their teeth, the little kangaroos look as if they are smiling all the time;
the marsupials native to southwest Australia with the round beady eyes and protruding ears appear particularly curious, lively and happy.
Just looking at them can put you in a good mood.
Quokkas live in Australia, they are most likely to be found on Rottnest Island.
(Iconic image) © Westend61/imago
And according to the results of the study, this can have a corresponding effect on people's minds: In the test, the students were shown the animal videos shortly before an exam, the knowledge magazine described.
So in a situation in which you should usually be a little more tense.
After seeing the cute marsupials, all participants had lower blood pressure and heart rates.
The conclusion was that they were less stressed.
How cute animals can lower our stress levels - Australian quokkas often on Instagram
Quokkas are most likely to be found on Rottnes Island.
There are now countless pictures of and with the animals on Instagram.
Mobile phone photos with the cute marsupials are a hit on the web, as reported by the travel magazine
Travelbook
.
But as popular as they are, especially among Australia fans, quokkas are on the endangered species list.
You can find even more exciting animal topics in the free newsletter from Landtiere.de, which you can subscribe to right here.
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How Cute Animals Can Lower Our Stress Levels - Cat Videos Study
Meanwhile, a study by Indiana University's Media School in the US found that videos of cats can make people happier and more productive.
Cute Kittens: Eleven Pictures That Will Instantly Reduce Your Stress Level
View photo gallery
The study of around 7,000 participants found that after watching cat videos, they felt better, had more energy than before and felt less anxiety or sadness afterwards.