Health Benefits of Owning A Pet

Reducing stress in your life is an important thing to do and most people look to deep breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, massage therapy and even hypnosis. While these can provide great benefits, have you ever considered making a new friend of the non-human variety? Unless you are allergic or don’t like animals, a pet can be a great source of stress relief. They don’t talk back to you, they provide unconditional affection and can keep you from becoming depressed.

There are really a number of tangible and intangible health benefits that owning a pet can provide. Here are some to consider:
1. Blood pressure can be controlled quite well with pet ownership. A number of medical studies have been conducted with hypertensive patients. In one test, one group owned pets and the other had no pets. While both groups were on blood pressure medications, the group who were dog or cat owners was less likely to experience spikes in blood pressure and heart rate due to tension and stress.
2. Pets can be mood enhancers and stave off depression and anxiety. When a cat rubs up against you and purrs or a dog cuddles and looks adoringly at you, it is hard to be sad or depressed. People with diagnosed diseases often battle with depression and despair but when they are in constant contact with pets, their mood improved and were better able to deal with their situation. There is a reason why there are certified therapy dogs and cats!
3. General stress can be averted with pet ownership. It is human nature to want to confide in a best friend. And often, you feel better afterward. However, there is something about the presence of a pet that makes your heart feel lighter. Pet owners say they can talk out their feelings and know they won’t be judged.
4. When you own a pet, you are more likely to get the exercise you need to stay healthy. Dogs and even cats enjoy going on walks and some require it for exercise. Kite flying, running, riding a bike, playing Frisbee … these are all good exercises that many people indulge in when they have a dog. It’s healthy for them and for you.
5. If you are shy, a pet can be a good ice breaker if you are trying to talk with new acquaintances. Pets can also make you appear more approachable as well. Learning to fit in is a great mental health benefit that can be partially attributed to your pet.
6. Unconditional love is one of the top reasons why people love pets. They listen, chase away loneliness and don’t require you to fill in the silences if you don’t want to do so. Feeling comfortable is helpful in relieving stress which can be a great health benefit to owning a pet.
Pets are a responsibility and require money and time, so ownership is not for everyone. However, if your enjoy animals, you can reap the healthy benefits of pet ownership by reducing stress in your life. Plus you have a built-in support system.


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