A pet can bring many benefits to their owner. Being a pet owner will give you a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction, that is why having a pet around you at home can be a wonderful addition to one’s life. Pets are truly one of the most wonderful friends you will ever ask. They can instantly light up a room and turn a foul mood to a cheery one.
Pets can uplift a person’s mood. No matter how sad, angry, depressed or lonely you may be, spending some time with your pet will help you forget your problems. Studies show that having your favorite pet around you can reduce stress. You can count on your pets to be there for you in many ways that other people can’t. They can give you love and friendship, and can also enjoy comfortable silences. Animals can be the best antidote to loneliness. Pets can be the best companion one can ask for. They help in creating a positive environment and relieve stress. After a hard day’s work, a few moments with a pet can ease a lot of tension. Biologically, it has been shown that playing with a pet dog or cat can help in increasing levels of serotonin and dopamine in the body – two chemicals that have a calming and pleasure inducing properties. Studies have shown that people with pets are routinely less depressed than those that don’t.
Pet owners experience significant physical benefits from walking their dogs. Not only do these walks give owners daily physical activity, but the act of going outside and getting some fresh air can improve pet owners’ moods. For owners who spend a good deal of time alone, walks and trips to the dog park can provide great opportunities for social interaction.
How can pets help make healthy lifestyle changes:
- Increasing exercise – Taking a dog for a walk, or simply chasing a kitten around are fun ways to fit healthy daily exercise into your schedule. Studies have shown that dog owners, for example, are far more likely to meet their daily exercise requirements than non-owners.
- Providing companionship – isolation and loneliness can make disorders such as depression even worse. Caring for a living animal can help make you feel needed and wanted, and take the focus away from your problems, especially if you live alone. Most pet owners talk to their pets, some even use them to work through their troubles. Nothing beats loneliness like coming home to a wagging tail or purring cat.
- Helping meet new people – pets can be a great social ice breaker for their owners. Dog owners frequently stop to talk to each other on walks or in a dog park. Pet owners also meet new people in pet stores, clubs, and training classes.
- Reducing anxiety – the companionship of an animal such as a dog can offer comfort, help ease anxiety, and build self-confidence for people anxious about going out into the world.
- Providing sensory stress relief – touch and movement are two healthy ways to quickly manage stress. This could involve petting a cat or taking a dog for a walk.
One of the reasons for these therapeutic effects is that most pets fulfill the basic human need to touch. Stroking, holding, cuddling, or otherwise touching a loving animal can rapidly calm and soothe us when we’re stressed. The companionship of a pet can also ease loneliness, and some pets are a great stimulus for healthy exercise, which can substantially boost mood. If you are thinking of adding a pet to your family, instead of heading to the local pet shop, visit the local SPCA or shelter and adopt an abandoned or homeless cat or dog.
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