Why Owning a Pet Is Good for Your Health
Pet owners already know the joy they experience when they bring home a new furry family member. However, many may not realise they also gain many health benefits from having a furry family member that can help improve their mental and physical wellbeing.
In more recent years, studies have been conducted to determine the benefits of having a pet in the home—whether it be a cat, dog, hamster, or another animal—and how this benefits the pet parent’s health. These studies have uncovered the following benefits:
#1: Pet owners’ stress levels are lower.
Daily contact with pets helps counteract stress levels by lowering the heart rate and stress-inducing hormone levels in the body. So, after a long stressful day at work, spending time with your furry friend can help you unwind and relax.
#2: Pet owners have lower blood pressure levels.
Pets love their owners and want to shower us with affection as much as they can. Plus, they like getting petted, earning treats, and spending time with us. Their affection has a significant impact on blood pressure levels, which tend to be lower in pet owners, partly due to lower stress levels.
Pet owners have a lower risk of heart attacks compared to non-pet owners. So, if you have high blood pressure, getting a pet could do you wonders!
#3: Pets help improve cholesterol levels.
Our furry family members even help reduce the bad cholesterol levels. Studies have shown blood pressure, and cholesterol levels are linked. People with higher levels of both have higher risks of heart disease, whereas pet owners’ levels of both are lower, so their risks of heart disease are also lower.
#4: Pet ownership increases the opportunities for regular exercise.
Our furry friends like spending time playing and going for walks outdoors. Dog owners tend to have the best opportunities for increased exercise. Daily walks help lose fat, build muscle tissue, and boost the immune system. Exercise also helps reduce stress and lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Cat owners also benefit when they spend time playing with their cats. In addition, many cats can be trained to go for walks, too, using a harness and leash to keep them from wandering off.
#5: Pet owners have fewer allergies and less risk of asthma.
If you grew up in a home with dogs and cats or on a farm with farm animals, you have fewer allergies and lower risks of developing asthma. Why? Our bodies’ immune system is exposed to a broader spectrum of allergens like pet dander from our pets. As a result, our bodies produce higher levels of certain chemicals that help boost immunity.
#6: Pet owners tend to live longer.
Pets provide a type of social support for pet owners, especially the elderly who may live alone. Having a social support companion in the home gives the pet owner purpose and meaning since they have to care for a pet. As such, older pet owners are more active, have reduced risks of heart disease, are healthier, and tend to live longer lives than their peers.
#7: Pets help make us more social.
Research studies have been conducted showing that people who have dogs and cats tend to appear more trustworthy and approachable by others. So, having a furry family member could help us make new friends and be more social. If you are single, having a pet could also result in being asked out on dates more often.
#8: Pets help kids on the autism spectrum.
Kids on the autism spectrum with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) have more difficulties interacting socially and communicating with others. When these kids experience the unconditional love a pet provides, they are more likely to connect with the pet socially. They will talk more and interact more with their dog, cat, guinea pig, or another furry friend.
Not to mention, when they are allowed to have their pet companion present in social settings with other kids their own age, they tend to interact and communicate more socially with the other kids.
#9: Pets help kids with developmental disabilities.
Pets are not just for kids with ASD but for kids with varying developmental disabilities. Kids diagnosed with ADHD, learning disabilities, vision impairment, Down syndrome, and cerebral palsy tend to develop better social skills when they have a pet.
#10: Pets help people with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Having a furry companion can help people suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. These therapy dogs are specially trained to remind people to eat, find their way home, and keep them on task with day-to-day activities.
#11: Pets can help people with PTSD.
People who have PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) are discovering the benefits of having a pet in their homes. Dogs and cats provide unconditional love and can help boost levels of oxytocin in the pet owners’ brains. This results in less frequent occurrences of the effects of PTSD.
#12: Pets help people with mental health disorders.
The feelings of isolation, loneliness, and depression are reduced when there is a pet around. Pets also help improve the moods of people with other types of mental health disorders. Studies in this area have shown people to report they feel more positive compared to non-pet owners.
#13: Pets help kids with medical conditions follow treatment better.
Kids that have been diagnosed with cancer, diabetes, and other chronic medical conditions experience a wide range of emotions and feelings. Having a pet to care for helps motivate them, boosts their moods, and encourages them to want to follow their treatment.
As you can see, owning a pet is good for your health and mental well-being. It is easy to find a pet in your area, as numerous shelters have dogs and cats with plenty of love to give and that just want a loving forever home.
After adopting a new pet, you can find dog and cat doors to make it easier for them to enter and leave your home at Australia Pet Doors. Please feel free to browse online or contact us at +61-437-644-330 today!