How to Relieve Stress by Playing with a Pet: A Mindful Play Prescription

The Stress-Pet Connection Is Real, But the Technique Matters If you are reading this, you probably already know that playing with a pet feels good. The science backs that up. Interacting with animals increases oxytocin (the bonding hormone) and decreases cortisol (the stress hormone) according to research from the National Institutes of Health. But here …