How Pets can help you Stay Healthy

Having a pet can improve your physical and mental health. Imagine coming home after a tiresome day at work and your fluffy ball of happiness is waiting at your door. It will instantly make you feel loved and happy.

Health experts say that the bond between you and your pet can increase your fitness, lower your levels of stress and improve your overall well-being. About 44% of all households in the US have at least one pet with dogs being the most popular pet in the country.

They offer several benefits, below are the benefits of pets for human health :

Pets help in lowering your stress:

Stress hormones like cortisol decrease and happy hormone such as oxytocin is being released when you are around your pet. Pets have been proven to help in the recovery from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as well. They provide a sense of comfort and survival to the patients suffering from PTSD.

Pets might decrease your blood pressure issues:

Research at the State University of New York at Buffalo found that pets can help reduce blood pressure.

Pets make you stay fit:

Imagine the effect of daily walks around the neighborhood on your fitness regime if you own a dog. A recent study found out that people who owned a dog walked around 300 minutes in a week compared to those without a dog who walked around 168 minutes per week.

Pets decrease your cholesterol levels:

Daily walks with a dog reduce your levels of cholesterol. Studies show that owning a pet helps reduce your levels of cholesterol. The Center for Disease and Prevention states that pet owners have reduced cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Another survey at Australian National Heart Foundation says the same.

Pets decrease your risk of getting a heart attack:

Increased fitness with lower levels of cholesterol, blood pressure, and stress reduces the risk of cardiovascular issues, according to The American Heart Association.

Pets might reduce the risk of allergies in children:

It’s a good idea to let your toddler play with your pet. Kids who grow up around pets, especially dogs, have a reduced risk of allergies, according to a study by Clinical and Experimental Allergy.  

Moreover, kids who grow up in the countryside with farm animals around them may possibly as well have a stronger immune system and a lower risk of allergies.

Pets make you less depressed:

As discussed above, pet owners have a better sense of overall well-being. They look at life in a positive manner and also don’t feel lonely since they always have their pet by their side to not only play with them but also to support them when needed.

Pets look after their owner’s health changes:

Pets, especially dogs, can be trained to signs of certain illnesses including diabetes. This can help prevent accidents and major issues. In fact, dogs have been found to call for help when they sensed their owner not being well. Cats have also been reported to have dialed 911 under similar circumstances.

Pets make your family time healthier:

Having a pet has proven to be really good for the family as they fill the gap and keep people together.

For most of us, our pet is a family member who eats with us, sleeps with us, walks with us and even travels with us. This builds a bond and you begin to feel for the animal. A lot of your conversation will in fact revolve around your pet, which can be a good topic and help people stay close to each other.

Plus, most pets will eat what you eat. Dogs, for example, can eat everything from shrimps to ice cream. This behavior can help them get close to you and be a part of your gang. This can improve your mood and have a good impact on your overall health.

Pets purify and develop relationships:

Owning a pet can teach love, kindness, and responsibility. When you own a pet, you will grow to be kind and responsible. This can help you stay healthy.

When you’re kind, people will be nice to you, which can have a nice impact on your mental health.

Pets lift your self-esteem:

Pets don’t care about materialistic things, they love you unconditionally without wanting anything in return. They don’t judge you for your physical appearance, or how much money you have.

They don’t love you because they want something in return. They love you for who you are. This amount and type of love can make people feel happy and healthy. In fact, science has proven how having a pet can improve one’s self-esteem.

Pets relieve frequent chronic pain:

This may sound strange to some, but pets can help you feel relaxed and at ease thanks to the release of endorphin hormones. These hormones can help reduce pain and make people feel healthy. This is why many old homes and hospitals also employ pets now.