Looking for a healthy mid-day pick-me-up? No need to exercise or eat kale. Just watch a cat video, and let nature run its course.
Grumpy Cat. Image via Flickr User Paul Anderson
Americans might be divided by class and geography, but if there’s one issue that unites them all, it’s their unending love for cat videos. For far too long, cat videos have been derided as “silly,” “absurd,” or—the harshest yet—a “waste of time.” Thank God science came in last week this week to the rescue, with a profound new study confirming what few Americans have only dreamed of: cat videos are actually great for your health.
The study, conducted by Indiana University researcher Jessica Gall Myrick, revealed that watching cat videos increased energy, heightened pleasure, and lowered anxiety. While the majority of people watch cat videos at work, Myrick believes that the happiness derived from consuming the content increased, rather than decreased, productivity. “Even if they are watching cat videos on YouTube to procrastinate or while they should be working, the emotional pay-off may actually help people take on tough tasks afterward,” Myrick told Indiana University.
Myrick hopes that her research might pave the way for cat videos to be included in pet therapy. Over 2 million cat videos were posted to YouTube in 2014, achieving close to 26 billion views. As of now, they are the highest watched category on YouTube. While not everyone enjoys cats—only 36 percent of people in Myrick’s study identified as cat-people—it’s almost impossible to find someone who doesn’t enjoy a good video.
Below you’ll find one of the Internet’s very best.
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