An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but fresh fruit isn’t the only thing that can keep us from getting sick. Our pets can too! According to studies carried out in the United States, Germany and Australia.1 Not only do pet owners visit their doctors less frequently than non-pet owners, but they may also experience other health benefits.
Pets make us happy and can help us stay healthy
As a pet owner, you’ve probably known all along what a growing number of studies show: for some of us, our pets can have a positive effect on our physical, psychological and social. Who can be sad or stressed after a long day at work or a traffic jam when you’re greeted with a wagging tail and barking of joy? Or the antics of a purring cat rubbing its ankles? The unconditional affection of our four-legged friends can certainly soothe a heavy and tormented heart. Speaking of what…
Pets can be “heart healthy” in more ways than one
Numerous studies have explored the relationship between pet ownership and heart disease, prompting the American Heart Association to issue a statement based on a careful review of available research.2 Although results are mixed, studies indicate that pet owners often have lower blood pressure, experience smaller increases in heart rate and blood pressure when under stress, and are more likely to be alive a year after a heart attack than people who don’t own pets. .
The heart health benefits associated with pet ownership, especially dog ownership, may result from increased exercise and activity as well as decreased stress. When we own dogs, we’re more likely to get the recommended amount of physical activity than people who don’t – assuming we’re walking our own dog. Increasing exercise also helps us reduce our risk of obesity.
Even passive contact with pets can be beneficial. Petting a dog or watching fish in an aquarium can cause your blood pressure to drop and your heart rate to slow. (SO It is why there is an aquarium in the waiting room of my dentist’s office!)
Pets make our hearts (and brains) happy
Interacting with our pets increases our happiness and our sense of security and self-esteem.3 Pets can also give us the opportunity to care for others. Dogs in particular are considered non-judgmental, providing a calming, reassuring, and comforting influence that can cushion the stresses of everyday life.4 Several studies suggest pets can help reduce depression, stress and loneliness3 and providing a sense of purpose, responsibility, and structure that can reduce anxiety for some people. For those of us who suffer from anxiety, interacting with our pets changes our focus in a positive way that can translate to a better quality of life.5
It should be mentioned here that spend time and interact with our pets is the key to benefiting from owning a pet.
Pets can help build social networks
Our pet friends can also help us make human friends. Pets can help us make new social connections, which are essential to our long-term health, by providing a common interest when we meet someone we’ve never met before. Research has shown that pet owners are more likely than those who don’t to meet neighbors they’ve never met before and are therefore more likely to make new friends. In fact, more than half of dog owners get to know their neighbors from their pet. Over 80% of dog owners talk with other pet owners on their walks.6 All of these connections produce feelings of emotional and social well-being and diminish feelings of isolation in today’s high-tech society.
Less stress, fewer doctor visits, better heart health, an increased sense of well-being, and more social connections are just a few of the benefits pet owners enjoy. No wonder so many of us — 65% in the United States — share our homes with pets. How do you think you have benefited from having a pet? Be sure to visit our Facebook page to tell us how your pet has helped improve your health.
The references
- Clower TL, Neaves TT. The health care cost savings of owning a pet. Washington, DC: HABRI Foundation (Human Animal Bond Research Initiative); December 2015. http://habri.org/pressroom/20151214. Accessed July 20, 2016.
- Levine GN, Allen K, Braun LT, Christian HE, Friedmann E, Taubert KA, Thomas SA, Wells DL, Lange RA; on behalf of the American Heart Association Council on Clinical Cardiology and Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing. Pet ownership and cardiovascular risk: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Traffic. 2013;127(23):2353-2363.
- Sable P. Pets, attachment and well-being across the life cycle. social work. 1995;40(3):334-341.
- Hodgson K, Darling M, Kim FA. The impact of companion animals on the health of your patients: leveraging the benefits and mitigating the risks. J Am Board Fam Med. 2015;28(4):526-534.
- Beck AM. Pets and Our Mental Health: The Why, What and How. Anthrozowheres. 2005;18(4):441-443.
- Wood L, Giles-Corti B. Mulsara M. The connection with pets: pets as vectors of social capital? Soc Sci-Med. 2005;61(6):1159-1173.
