UMHD - Essex Therapy Dogs

As part of University Mental Health Day, Essex Therapy Dogs will be on campus to help you de-stress. Come pet a dog or two - it's good for you!  

The Benefits to Mental Health

• Help people to feel calm
• Provide comfort and help soothe emotions
• Reduce boredom
• Lowering anxiety levels
• Decreasing agitation in dementia patients or clients
• Reducing loneliness
• Bridging communication gaps. Everyone loves talking to their pets
• Decreasing feelings of depression

The Benefits to Physical Health

• Petting a dog can help people physically relax
• Stabilising blood pressure
• Reducing the risk of heart disease, heart attacks and stroke
• Improving cardiovascular health
• Slowing down breathing for those who are anxious
• It can diminish physical pain, which may lead to a reduction in pain killers
• Releases many mood boosting hormones oxytocin and dopamine which has the same effect as eating chocolate (but without the calories) and decreasing the stress hormone cortisol.