"during the periods when the monkeys were bathing, stress levels were down." Wait. You needed scientists to tell you this? Next time, just ask me. Or anybody other primate with the power of speech who owns a hot tub.
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Bathing with monkeys lowers my stress.
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“Rafaela S.C. Takeshita and her colleagues at Kyoto University collected and tested the monkeys’ feces for levels of glucocorticoids, which increase with stress. The cold is known to cause levels of these hormones to go up.”
The author states cold weather causes stress in these beautiful creatures and lounging around in hot spring pools at a comfortable 104 degrees Fahrenheit relieves their stress. With all due respect, I would think finding food, shelter and a mate would generate more stress than simply cold weather, but I'm no scientist. I can’t help but think these monkeys simply enjoy bathing in these hot pools because the water is warm and they are cold, they want to warm up, and it’s also a great social gathering for them at the old watering hole. What better way to get and stay warm than soaking in a hot tub in cold weather?
I love scientists – they always need and require an answer to everything. For the non-scientist like me, I prefer to simply enjoy watching nature, enjoying themselves. If they’re happy, I’m happy.
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I find watching the bathing monkeys eases my stress! Their relaxed faces and closed eyes say so much.
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Just watching this video greatly lowers my stress.
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You neglect an extremely important and salient fact why hot springs, especially in Nagano, have a therapeutic effect on the monkeys and anyone else as a matter of fact: its lithium content. Lithium has been known throughout history as a stress reducer and mood stabilizer. I was diagnosed with bipolar II 3 years ago at the age of 50. I luckily decided to take lithium carbonate as my medical therapy and it has been a game changer. I thank God for lithium. Regarding its side effects, I just stay on the low end of the therapeutic range and I have been absolutely fine. In fact, the general population would be well advised to take low levels of lithium to manage stress.
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The Japanese macaques and we Homo sapiens have common ancestors. We all know how relaxing soaking in a hot tub can be. So our monkey cousins get to enjoy what we go to hot spring resorts to enjoy. What else is new?
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Well, cold makes the levels of glucocorticoids go up and warm makes them come back down.
"Stress" also makes levels of glucocorticoids go up.
The researchers have substituted "stress' for "higher levels of glucocorticoids" which is not scientifically sound.
I have been there and seen the monkeys during the Nagano Olympics, on a snowy day when we were the only non-monkeys on the scene. Fascinating -- But I was worried that the wet monkeys -- outside the pools, might be cold. I sure was, and I was bundled up in real snow gear.
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It is scientifically sound to use glucocorticoid levels as a proxy for stress levels if there is decades of primate research to back it up. Which there is.
Your anecdotal evidence and opinion is not a substitute for scientific inquiry.
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It is well known (to neurobiologists) that stress works the same way in all primates, including monkeys and humans.
In fact, this has been known for decades.
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Fabulous video. These days, it is necessary to get away from the news to something informative and pleasant to view.
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It comes as no surprise that being comfortably warm lowers everyone's stress levels. Who can function, properly, when they are cold?
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Saunas, steam baths and hot tubs have been well known to promote better health and societies/families. Something Japan and Scandinavian countries do and know all too well. The happiest countries, (Finland and Iceland for example) often take their daily baths or saunas in wonderful public, communal facilities. It has a great chilling (relaxing) as well as an equalizing effect.
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Explains why my hot baths have gotten longer and longer as this interminable Michigan winter drags on and on. (It is snowing as I type this). Note to self: for some weeks now, watching the weather report after bath negates stress relief.
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Bathing monkeys - so cute! love articles like this. Keep 'em coming NY Times!!!
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I have had the privilege to bathing with these incredible creatures. Not only do they know how to relax, but they are incredibly clean, play with their little ones, and see us humans as just another creature -- they don't bother us and we don't bother them. What a wise model for us humans to consider - loving, playful, and respectful -- humans have a lot to learn!
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