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Having a pet is often like having a lifeline on bad days, when everything seems to go wrong and frustrations abound. One of the greatest benefits of pet ownership is their ability to alleviate stress. After a hard day, their cute appearance, cuddling, and unconditional support are just a few of the simple joys pets bring; ample evidence of pets improving physical health is the best proof of their benefits to their owners.
Whether you're single, have children, young, old, or have special needs, research shows that having an animal you love benefits your mental, emotional, and physical health. If you're not allergic to pets, they make an extra, healthy member of your family.
✨Benefits of Pet Ownership on Physical Health Training, caring for pets, and simply having them around can boost your physical health, reduce the risk of certain heart-related diseases, and alleviate bodily pains.
Pet owners have better physical fitness. Simply watching your fish swim around in its tank won't burn many calories. However, if you own a dog, you're likely to get more exercise than those who don't. Knowing your pet needs exercise can be a strong motivation to get outside. About half of all dog owners exercise five days a week for at least 30 minutes, meeting recommended activity levels. The benefits don't stop there; people who walk their dogs often engage in other physical activities, such as sports and gardening. Dog walking tends to be more vigorous than walking alone; dog walkers also tend to improve their fitness more significantly than those who walk with other people. People often chat more than exercise when walking together, but this isn't the case when walking a dog.
Pets improve your heart health. Watching a playful kitten or cuddling with a fluffy dog can warm the heart. It can also be beneficial for your heart; pet owners seem to have lower resting heart rates and blood pressure than those without pets. Owning a dog can increase your survival rate one year after a heart attack, while cats are especially good for your circulatory system and cardiovascular health. Studies show having a cat at some point in your life can reduce the chance of dying from heart disease, and cat owners often have a lower stroke risk. When pets fill your heart with love, they also help keep it strong.
Pet owners have lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Lower cholesterol, along with better fitness and heart health, are additional benefits of pet ownership. This effect is partly because pet owners tend to be more active. Additionally, pets of diabetic owners can warn them before a sudden drop in blood sugar—about one-third of dogs in homes of diabetic people have this ability.
Pets can provide relief for those with chronic pain. The exact mechanism is still unclear, but pets seem to make it easier for their owners to manage symptoms of conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. It's speculated that caring for pets helps distract from discomfort and annoyance. Additionally, cuddling with a warm pet can relieve pains caused by conditions like fibromyalgia.
Animals can help children build stronger immunity. Studies show that children who grow up with dogs, cats, or on farms with livestock are less likely to develop allergies. Although pets are a common cause of asthma, researchers say that babies who grow up in cat-owning households are actually less likely to get sick later in life—unless the mother is allergic to cats.
😊Benefits of Pet Ownership on Emotions The most common reason people own pets is simple: pets make you feel good. Yes, they're cute and lovable. But behind these fuzzy feelings lies a scientific principle.
Pets provide stability. You know you'll receive unconditional love from your pet. They're always thrilled to see you, greeting you with wet kisses and happy barks. Knowing there's someone at home who adores you provides a sense of security and stability. Even when the rest of your world is in chaos, having a close relationship—even just with a pet—can give you the strength to cope. People with close relationships with their pets (unless they've become a burden or nuisance) also have more confidence in their daily lives and stronger self-esteem.
Having animals can improve your mood. Playing fetch with a dog, petting a rabbit, watching fish swim, or observing a turtle's slow journey can instantly calm you down and prevent rash reactions. Interacting with pets can reduce the stress-induced hormone cortisol and increase the feel-good hormone serotonin. You already know pets can lower blood pressure, but this is especially true under high-stress conditions, as pet owners can better suppress blood pressure. When you need to calm down, consider playing with your loving dog; it's like an instant calm pill.
Pets make you happy. You know that melting feeling when you gaze into your pet's eyes, and they gaze back with affection? This triggers a hormonal feedback loop, similar to the one between mothers and their newborns. The release of oxytocin (or the love hormone) helps you and your pet feel closer to each other. This makes you feel happy, safe, and comfortable. If you've always felt that your pet is your best friend or even your child, now you know why.
Growing up with pets can help children develop empathy. Parents have long used pets to teach children to take responsibility for others. Research shows that's just the beginning; having a pet can also improve a child's emotional intelligence. The intimacy hormone discussed earlier helps children connect with beings other than themselves. This helps kids learn to care for a pet's physical needs as well as its feelings. These lessons in empathy will help children build relationships more easily as they grow; children with higher emotional intelligence often lead more successful lives later on.
😁Benefits of Pet Ownership on Mental Health Living with pets not only helps maintain physical health but also helps alleviate concerns that often trouble you. Pets can temporarily distance you from the troubles of the world, assist in solving mental distress, and, as you age, help maintain sharp thinking.
They make you more sociable. Pets give you a good reason to go out, move, and talk to people. Most people have strong feelings about pets, and sharing with other pet lovers immediately creates a sense of community. Dog parks, pet daycare centers, and online pet forums offer channels to connect with others. Besides being good companions themselves, pets can also help their owners establish new relationships with like-minded people. Therefore, pets can help alleviate loneliness in several ways.
Pets offer various therapeutic benefits. Studies on children with autism show they become more willing to socialize and less anxious when a therapy animal is present. Compared to non-pet-owning peers, as the child with autism grows closer to the pet, they become more willing to share and comfort others in need. For children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), taking care of a pet can help them learn to plan ahead and manage daily tasks such as feeding. Playing outdoors with a dog can also help ADHD children expend extra energy, aiding them to focus later in the day. For those with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), grooming horses and horseback riding can reduce stress.
Pets can ease the struggle of addiction recovery. An increasing number of addiction specialists recommend therapy dogs, partly because pets help you live in the present reality, influencing your prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for executive functions. The more this part of the brain is activated, the more you're able to make healthy decisions and form good habits. In other words, having a pet can help you replace negative, destructive habits with positive ones.
Dogs help elderly maintain cognitive functions. Among the elderly, owning pets (especially dogs) helps maintain memory and other cognitive functions longer. A study from the University of Richmond found that dog owners over 65 performed better on cognitive and memory tests than their non-dog-owning counterparts. Some theories suggest this is because dogs keep you physically active, and you also have to remember to complete daily care tasks: feeding, walking, and playing.
🐶😻🐰🦓🐹No matter the type of pet, forming a loving relationship with another living being can work wonders for your physical health. Research clearly proves pets can improve your physical health. With so many benefits to your health and life, it's no wonder many people consider them lovable, delightful, indispensable family members.