Do you have a pet? No? Then it’s time because pet owners are happier and healthier. It doesn’t matter if you get a dog, cat, or hamster; animal companionship will improve your health and well-being. We’ll tell you why!
1) Animals Help Heart Health
American studies suggest that dogs, in particular, help our hearts work better and longer. Dog owners have been found to have lower blood pressure and better cholesterol levels. Owning a pet, therefore, reduces the risk of a heart attack.
This is mainly because, as a pet owner, you tend to exercise more; after all, you have to walk your dog regularly. However, the general calming effects of pets can also contribute to the fact that the body is better off, and the adverse effects of problems at work are not as severe.
2) Animals Are the Best Cure for Stress
Not only will they make you happy, but they can also help reduce stress. For this reason, in some areas, there are even dogs available for rent! Petting an animal and occasionally engaging in its activities minimizes the stress of everyday life, leading to inner peace and relaxation.
Those who have the opportunity should therefore try to come into contact with animals as often as possible. Perhaps there is an animal in your area that you can “sit” if you don’t have time for an animal of your own.
3) Pets Boost Self-Esteem
A pet is dependent on you. It needs food, attention, and time, and in return it gives you its unconditional love! This can give you a purpose in life in case you are always looking for it. Animals need routine and attention and thus provide structure to your day. Since animals are also existentially dependent on you, they need you every day. Especially in phases when we are dissatisfied with ourselves, not happy at work, or lack a positive routine in life, a pet can offer the structure we need to get organized and get up repeatedly.
4) Having a Pet Can Make You Happy and Relieve Depression
When burnout is becoming more common, the number of people diagnosed with depression is also on the rise. Pets can be used as a form of therapy because they offer you companionship and love, no matter what your mood. There is hardly anything more comforting than a pet that notices when you feel low and provides closeness and comfort.
Unlike humans, animals don’t judge by appearances, but they always like you, regardless of whether you don’t like yourself very much. They don’t judge you when things go wrong. It is also not for nothing that they say that a dog is man’s best friend!
5) Allergies Are Alleviated by Animals
It sounds paradoxical at first; after all, many people are allergic to animal hair. In the case of allergies, however, the immune system reacts to stimuli that are not harmful at all. Our body has to learn to recognize harmless stimuli as such, and it does this best when exposed to them at an early stage.
So, if you have young children, it makes sense to get a pet. Even handling horses and dust in the stable can help prevent allergies. The immune system can then learn to fight the proper substances rather than the genuinely harmless ones. In addition, of course, your child will benefit from the stress-reducing effects while learning camaraderie and responsibility.
6) Children Can Learn a Lot From Animals
Pets can be an enrichment, especially for children. They learn to take responsibility and to be aware of and appreciate other living beings. It is not for nothing that animals are also used for therapeutic purposes, such as ADHD or autism. Through animals, children and adults can reconnect with nature, and therefore nature itself. They enrich our lives and make us happier and healthier.
Do you have any pets?