What impresses me most is the fact that Pets are not merely animals, but rather our family members. Regardless of whether it is a devoted pooch, an independent cat, a loquacious bird, or even a lizard with scales, a pet brings with it both fun and joy and it is the very source of friendship and the search for meaning that human being can experience. Along with the pleasure and fun, this connection brings, a person like me, who is also a pet parent, can tell you what a great benefit theses animals can have on our mental and physical health.
Mental Health Benefits
From my own experience, positive effects of pet ownership on mental health are well-documented. Here’s how animals help to maintain our emotional well-being:
-
- Reduction of stress and anxiety
-
- Relief of loneliness
-
- Provision of love and support without conditions
-
- The animals can even become the ones that give the signal of calm and enjoy lower blood pressure
-
- They may make a person feel more purposeful than usual by silently asking to be taken care of.
Your immediate responses are the same as mine when watching the new tasks of your little friend: +Rh13ol+I smoothly dissolve them and turn them into regular days. One of them is the habit of walking with our puss. Pet responsibility surely gives us firm day routines by pushing us to spend time with them educating them with appropriate habits like daily walks, nutritious food, and playtime.
Physical Health Benefits
The part that pets play in our good physical health is an invaluable one. Did you know that more than 60% of dog owners reach the recommended weekly exercise goal? This is equivalent to 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise every week. I have seen through my own life how much it helps not only to keep my dog healthy but also to stay active myself.
Also, pet ownership is greatly effective in lowering one’s risk of heart diseases. Further to prove this, animals can be instrumental in stress reduction by their mere presence, which is very beneficial to people. Most often, pet owners have lower resting pressure than those who do not have pets. Regular workouts such as dog-walking and the like lower the risk of heart disease.
Healthy Aging
Pets can also play a part in keeping their masters in good shape and happy as they get older. Elders who have dogs present the following statistics:
-
- More activity and lower stress rate
-
- Enhanced activity levels during weekdays
-
- Overall greater quality of life
-
- Depression in pet owners is way lower
Moreover, animals can especially add to the benefit of those persons who are already living with long-term diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. They can help cut stress, loneliness, and even depression in patients, making their life quality considerably better.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the effects of pets on human beings are multi-faceted and penetrate to the very core of our lives. Regardless of whether it’s taking a walk at the park, just spend quality time together with them or making the whole day about them, these kinds of regular contacts have valuable impacts on our health. I am happy to tell you as a pet owner that the compassion and attention we lavish on our four-legged buddies come back to us tenfold and contribute to better physical and mental health through our pets.
This article has been medically reviewed by Jane Sykes, Professor of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.