We as humans experience love in various forms in our lives. But the ones that we receive from pets are absolutely unconditional. They lighten up our lives through their innocence, and we also get to explore our funny side by playing with them. We also have a true friend in our life whom we can lean our shoulders on in tough times without being judged.
That being said, pets also have this wonderful quality of improving our overall health. We might have often overlooked it because we are way too concerned about our pet’s health.
In this blog, you will learn six amazing ways how pets help in bolstering our overall health. So, this might be the right motivation you are looking for to introduce a cat or dog into your life. Let us get started,
1) You are Less Likely to Suffer From Depression
Did you know that each time we pet an animal, our body releases a chemical called Oxytocin, a hormone that gives us a sense of calmness. This is the reason why therapy dogs are used at healthcare centres to assist in the faster recovery in patients. Patients feel an instant surge of happiness when the pets start showering unconditional love. Pets are often used for treating problems like Depression, Bipolar DIsorder, Autism, ADHD, etc. With their love and care, they effectively help an individual to tackle these mental disorders.
2) Reduced Blood Pressure Level
Studies have shown that petting a dog for 15 minutes can significantly lower the blood pressure in an individual. Not just dogs, pets like cats, rabbits and rodents have a positive effect on your cardiovascular system. The main reason for this can be the constant happiness that is generated by playing with them. Also, if you are an owner of cats or dogs, you will be pursuing a fair bit of physical activity that contributes to excellent well-being.
3) Boost Your Feel-Good Hormones
Did you know that playing with a dog or cat is one of the best ways to become calm and relaxed? This is so because whenever we interact with pets, our body releases Serotonin (a happy hormone) and simultaneously reduces the level of Cortisol as well. These feel-good hormones go a long way in keeping your mood upbeat amidst all the gruelling challenges you are facing in life.
So whenever you are feeling low, consider spending some quality time with your lovely pet. Apart from the happiness you will receive, you will also be able to boost your bond with your pet.
4) Pets Help You Socialise With the World
One of the biggest plus points of having a pet is that you will be able to strike random conversations with other people. This mainly happens owing to the spontaneous and outgoing nature of pets and also because they instil a curiosity in people. There is a good chance that someone will ask you about your pets, each and every time you take them outside.
While in ordinary conversations, it is quite difficult for individuals to open up as the majority of the eime, one needs to talk about themselves. Having a pet means that the topic of conversation would rarely get personal. This is why you make faster connections when you go outside with your pets.
5) Encourage Self-Discipline in You
Having a pet means you require qualities like trust, compassion, patience, love and above all a self-discipline for regularly attending to your pet’s exercise needs. Say for example, if you have started walking your dog, there is an obligation from your side to walk them daily. To do this, one needs to go out with their dog even if he or she doesn’t feel like doing it. This is how pets help us to overcome laziness and to instil a positive character in us.
Although the biggest of all benefits of having a pet is that they make us more responsible than ever. We tend to be more organised when it comes to taking care of them and also not missing our schedule.
6) Help You Lose Weight
Several studies have proven that people who regularly walk with their dogs get more exercise than those who don’t have a dog. This clearly means that dog parents have a higher chance of experiencing weight loss. Besides, walking with a dog is more fun when compared to doing exercise alone outdoors. One also tends to have more chances of connecting with nature each time they accompany their dogs for a walk.
Though most dogs need a daily dose of walking up to 30 minutes, large breed dogs like Labrador, Golden Retriever, German Shepherd require 1 hour of physical activity. So you can see how many calories you can burn by playing with your dog daily.
In a Nutshell,
You have seen how pets are absolutely a blessing when it comes to nourishing our lives inside out. We not only have a sweet companion to share our feelings with, but also a great workout partner to bolster our overall health. So, introduce a pet in your life and see how it helps you become the best version of yourself.
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