LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 18: A stray kitten is posed for a photograph at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home on August 18, 2009 in London, England. Battersea Dogs and Cats Home is seeing a sharp rise in the number of cats requiring a home with 143 of the 145 shelter’s pens full. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
(Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)Next time you find yourself watching videos of otters holding hands on YouTube, or the cat on the Roomba, don't worry: You're not wasting time, you're doing some SELF-CARE.
According to a new study, watching videos of CUTE ANIMALS for 30 minutes can cut your anxiety by 35% to 50%. It can also lower your blood pressure and your heart rate. Researchers say, quote, "Throughout the course of the session [of watching videos], heart rates and blood pressure fell across all individuals to a level that would be considered healthy and indicative of limited stress or anxiety."
Got that? EVERY single person who watched adorable animals doing adorable things saw their stress drop to a healthy level. It's probably something worth trying, so here it is - Cat on a Roomba! In a shark costume!
