Discover How Pets Can Improve Your Well-Being

March 11, 2023
We Know Pets

Having a pet has been known to provide many mental and physical benefits. Dogs help owners wellbeing, new study reveals. Studies have shown that animals can help reduce stress and anxiety, as well as promote feelings of happiness and even lower blood pressure. Animals can serve as a source of comfort and support. Therapy dogs are especially good at this. They're sometimes brought into hospitals or nursing homes to help reduce patients' stress and anxiety. Find out here how a beloved animal companion can make a positive impact on your overall well-being.

Exercise: Pets Encourage Movement and Social Interaction.

Owning a pet can help encourage physical activity in humans. Pets need to be taken for walks, played with, and have other physical activities done with them on a regular basis. This means that there is the opportunity for their owners to routinely get out of the house for exercise. If you have a dog, you're probably more active than someone who doesn't have one. A daily 30-minute walk with your pooch helps keep you moving. Two 15-minute walks, one in the morning and one in the evening, do the same thing. Add in a game of fetch in the back yard with your dog and you'll be even more fit. Plus, pets can give owners the extra motivation they need to go outside, walk around, and get active.

Dog parks, friendly neighbourhoods and local shops are all places that you are more likely to interact with people. Before you know it, walking your dog has created a new network of friends who love dogs too!

Having a pet can help you manage your blood pressure. In one study of 240 married couples, pet owners had lower blood pressure and lower heart rates during rest than people who didn't have a pet. Another study showed that when children with high blood pressure patted their dog, their blood pressure improved.

Latest Research on the Pet Effect

Research has verified what many pet owners already understood: nurturing your furry companion tends to be a rewarding experience. A recent study, The Benefits of Giving as well as Receiving Need Support in Human–Pet Relations showed that providing care for one's pet can produce similar benefits in terms of personal wellbeing and happiness. In addition, studies have also found that having a pet can also contribute to longer lifespans and overall improved health, an effect referred to as the "Pet Effect." Ultimately, these discoveries propose new ways of improving our mental and physical well-being both through human interaction and animal engagement.

Stress Reduction and Better Moods.

Pets have been shown to reduce stress and improve moods, especially if the pet is believed to be a member of the family. This can provide emotional comfort and security in times of trouble, creating a feeling of calm as well as comfort. Studies have also suggested that having pets can help children cope better with stressful situations and can even lead to improved social skills.
It only takes a few minutes with a dog or cat or watching fish swim to feel calmer and less stressed. Your body actually goes through physical changes in that time that make a difference in your mood. The level of cortisol, a stress hormone, lowers. And serotonin, a feel-good chemical your body makes, rises.

Reduced Allergies in Children.

Studies have also revealed that children who have a pet in their home have reduced allergies, due to exposure of early childhood allergens found in pet fur. This exposure increases tolerance and leads to healthier respiratory systems. Children exposed to pets sooner are generally shown to show lower signs of asthma, dermatitis and enhanced respiratory health overall.

Stimulated Learning for Kids.

Pets can help children overcome learning obstacles in the classroom

As well as physical health benefits, growing up with a pet can greatly improve a child’s cognitive and emotional development. Not only do kids learn how to look after an animal and build trusting relationships, but they are also encouraged to practice problem-solving skills by helping to care for their pet. Furthermore, children who have pets tend to show more empathy towards other humans than those without animals in their lives.

Dogs may also aid in the classroom. One study found that dogs can help children with ADHD focus their attention. Researchers enrolled two groups of children diagnosed with ADHD into 12-week group therapy sessions. The first group of children read to a therapy dog once a week for 30 minutes. The second group read to puppets that looked like dogs.
The participants who read to the real animals showed better social skills and more sharing, cooperation, and volunteering. They also had fewer behavioural problems.

Another study found that children with autism spectrum disorder were calmer while playing with guinea pigs in the classroom. When the children spent 10 minutes in a supervised group playtime with guinea pigs, their anxiety levels dropped. The children also had better social interactions and were more engaged with their peers. The researchers suggest that the animals offered unconditional acceptance, making them a calm comfort to the children.