Blog
Stress has an odor and dogs can smell it
Stress has an odor and dogs can smell it. This is a fact that has been proven by science. When a person is stressed out, their body gives off a chemical called cortisol. This chemical can be detected by dogs, who will then often try to comfort the stressed person.
So next time you’re feeling stressed, don’t be surprised if your furry friend comes to try and give you a hug. They really do know how you’re feeling!
When we think of stress, we usually associate it with feeling overwhelmed or anxious. But did you know that stress also has an odor? And that dogs can smell it?
A new study has found that dogs can indeed sniff out stress in humans. The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, found that dogs are able to distinguish between the scent of stressed and unstressed people with up to 80% accuracy.
So how does this work? When we’re stressed, our body produces cortisol, which is released into our sweat. Dogs have an incredible sense of smell, and they can detect even small changes in odor.
This ability to smell stress could be useful in a number of ways. For example, police dogs are often used to sniff out drugs or bombs. But in the future, they could also be used to sniff out stress in people.
There are a number of potential applications for this. For instance, therapy dogs could be used to help people with anxiety disorders. Or, dogs could be used to screen people for stress before they undergo a high-stakes situation, like a job interview.
Of course, more research is needed to confirm these findings. But the potential implications are intriguing. So next time you’re feeling stressed, remember that your dog may be able to smell it.
Related Posts
Transcranial magnetic stimulation design goes deeper into brain
-
Posted by
user
- 0 comments
A combination of behavior change campaigns and technology could help to keep air pollution at a minimum in schools
-
Posted by
user
- 0 comments
Math approach may make drug discovery more effective, efficient
-
Posted by
user
- 0 comments
Higher vitamin K intake linked to lower bone fracture risk late in life
-
Posted by
user
- 0 comments
Mom’s dietary fat rewires male and female brains differently
-
Posted by
user
- 0 comments
Lose weight this winter by adding 10 key foods to daily diet ‘Delicious & low in calories’
-
Posted by
user
- 0 comments
Scientists reveal first close-up look at bats’ immune response to live infection
-
Posted by
user
- 0 comments
Wild primate study ties importance of social environment to molecular markers of age in the brain
-
Posted by
user
- 0 comments
Bloating common issue among Americans
-
Posted by
user
- 0 comments
Novel nanoparticles deliver innovative cancer chemoimmunotherapy
-
Posted by
user
- 0 comments
Lose weight fast this winter by drinking two warm drinks ‘in the afternoon’ – ‘it helps’
-
Posted by
user
- 0 comments
New insight into how long-banned chemicals (PCBs) unleash their toxicity inside the body
-
Posted by
user
- 0 comments