#PAWS4 Episode 4: Getting back to calm

Stress on your body

We all get stressed from time to time but you might not have noticed the physical impacts it can have on your body.

When you’re calm and happy, your body is able to function properly. When you’re stressed your body can go into ‘emergency’ mode.

The four ‘Feel Good’ chemicals we talked about in episode 3 can help to get you out of ‘emergency’ mode.

These are Dopamine, Serotonin, Oxytocin, and Endorphins. Find out more about the feel-goods here.

With the help of the ‘feel-goods’ we can bring the body out of stress. Ensuring your body returns to being calm is important for your physical and mental wellbeing.

How to bring your body back to calm after stress

There are lots of different ways you can bring back the feel goods.

Go out on a pup-venture

Being out with your pup is a great way to do it, meeting your dog's needs whilst also setting your body up for success.

You can take your furry friend out to the beach, around the block or to the dog park.

Get out in nature with or without a pet

Taking a walk with your pet in nature and getting a bit of fresh air can help you feel good.

For those who do not own a pet, you’ll still feel the same benefits. Getting out in nature for a walk is still good for our mental, physical and social health.

Being out in nature can help us regulate ourselves after a stressful situation.

Little things can help

The little things add up over time, even something doing some gardening can help. If you’re feeling stress and need to water, prune or plant in your garden this can help.

If you don’t have a garden, you can try a stroll down the street, sitting by a lake, or unwinding at the beach. They might seem like little things, but they all make a difference over time.

The possibilities are endless. Your furry friends can help you to access nature can help after a stressful event or part of your regular self-care.

We’ll talk more about self-care in the next episode.