Health Benefits of Owning a Pet

Posted September 29, 2017

Owning a pet has plenty of benefits. Studies show that owning a pet can actually boost your wellness and quality of life. Owning a pet comes with plenty of health benefits such as reduced depression, stress, and anxiety. A lot more goes on internally for those that own pets. Some may experience lower blood pressure, improved immunity, and a decreased risk of a stroke or heart attack!

The positives don’t just stop here; there are plenty of other health benefits that comes with owning a pet.

Stress Reducer

The State University of New York at Buffalo conducted a study which showed that those performing a stressful task felt less stressed when their pets were near, rather than when a spouse or family member was nearby. This study tells us a lot about how useful having a pet can be. For those looking to decrease stress, owning a pet is not a bad idea.

Lowers Your Blood Pressure

Many studies have proven that owning a pet can lower blood pressure, especially for those that are hypertensive. Marty Becker, veterinary consultant for Good Morning America and author of Your Dog: The Owner’s Manual mentions that if you have your dog nearby, your blood pressure is lower.

Eases Away Pain

There are many people that deal with chronic pain, such as arthritis, or bad migraines. The pain increases as anxiety increases. So in order to reduce the pain, anxiety must also be reduced. That’s when owning a pet comes in handy. There’s a reason why pet therapy after surgery exists. Those that are on pet therapy are a lot more likely to experience less pain while not using pain medications.

Lowers Cholesterol

Owning a pet is also good for the cholesterol. Studies show that men that own pets have much lower cholesterol levels than those that do not own pets. However, it isn’t completely clear whether those men that own pets are in better shape than those that do not own pets.

Improves the Mood

Owning a pet brings in a lot of excitement, especially when coming back from work. In many cases, pets are the first ones to greet their owners at the door. Pets greeting their owners with excitement has such a big effect on improving the mood. As a matter of fact, dogs are commonly used to help soldiers deal with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Helps With Social Skills

People who walk their dogs every day are very likely to talk to others. In many places, neighbors will chat while they walk their dogs. Having a dog, in this case, gives owners plenty of social contact.

Helps Prevent Strokes

This is where cat owners can greatly benefit. Studies have shown that owning a cat can reduce your risk of heart attack by 30 percent, and decreases your risk of a stroke by 40 percent. In addition to this, pets are known to help in the recovery of a heart attack as well.

Blood Sugar Level Monitoring for Diabetics

A 1992 study documented by the American Diabetes Association shows that those who have diabetes benefit from owning a pet. Dogs in particular are known to be great companions for those who experience instability in their blood glucose levels. Many times, the dogs of diabetic owners can sense when their owner’s behavior has changed due to a drop in the blood sugar level.

Overall, owning a pet is a great idea. If you’re looking to boost your wellness and health, then do yourself a favor and buy that golden retriever puppy you’ve been wanting so badly. Who knew that owning a pet could be your ticket to living a healthy life?

Health Benefits of Owning a Pet

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