When school gets too overwhelming go play with your dog.

When deadlines loom and homework accumulates, a dog can be a source of support, companionship and stress relief for students according to a recent Ohio State University study. Those studying medical coding training courses can benefit from playing fetch with their dog when the stress starts to mount. While other research has shown that pets can reduce anxiety and provide comfort for the elderly or the terminally ill this new study showed the same is true for college students.

Researchers found that students who lived with a pet were less likely to report feeling lonely or depressed. They often relied on the animal to help them through stressful times.