Surprising Health Benefits of Owning a Pet

According to the World Atlas, dogs are the most popular pet in the United States, with over 48 million households owning a dog. Cats are ranked as the second most popular pet in the United States, with nearly 32 million households owning one.

Studies have proven that owning a pet has surprising health benefits. Psychologists have listed at least ten health benefits of being around pets, even if you don't own one yourself. After learning about those benefits, you might appreciate your pet even more. They might make you get a pet if you don't already have one.

1. Pets Keep You Moving

Pets will force their owners to exercise, whether they enjoy exercising or not. Pets will keep their owners moving, especially if the pet is a dog. Owners will have to walk their dogs every day. Some doctors advise their overweight patients to get a dog so they will have a good reason to walk and run around.

Taking care of a dog will motivate an obese person to get at least 10 minutes of exercise twice a day. Cats can also get a person moving because they love to play. However, dog owners are forced to exercise more than any other pet.

2. Pets Help With Interpersonal Relationships

Pets help people socialize with others, especially when walking their dogs down the street or in the park. Asking questions about each other's dogs is a good icebreaker. Some of the shortest conversations could lead to building long relationships because of pets.

3. Pets Help Eliminate Stress

Pets are known to help those who suffer from stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental illnesses. Doctors have seen many of their patients improve when they have a pet.

People who own pets are usually in better moods than those who don't. Just petting an animal shows a decreased production of cortisol, the stress hormone, and an increased level of oxytocin, the “feel-good” hormone.

In some cases, owning a pet can keep some people off of some medications and the psychiatrist's couch.

4. Pets Aid in Lowering the Risk of Heart Disease

It is amazing that owning a pet can lower a person’s risk of heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. Pets are also associated with lower cholesterol levels, which helps decrease the likelihood of heart disease.

Having a lower risk of heart disease could be one of the reasons pet owners are known to live longer than people who do not own a pet.

5. Pets Help Lower Risk of Stroke

Researchers have found that owning a cat reduces a person’s risk of having a stroke by more than a third. Experts believe that people who own a pet and frequently touch it have a lower risk of a stroke.

6. Pets Help Increase Bone Density

One wouldn't think that a pet could have anything to do with bone density. When cats purr, they produce vibrations with a wavelength high enough to have several health benefits.

The purrs can help a person breathe more easily and even increase a person’s bone density. Amazingly, a cat's purr can also speed up the healing process of a wound.

7. Pets Help Lower Blood Pressure

A pet can help people keep their blood pressure at healthy levels. Research has shown that pets definitely lower blood pressure, especially when a person is stressed. A study proved that dogs decreased patients’ blood pressure by about 10 percent.

8. Pets Help Eliminate Pain

People often get relief from chronic pain when they are around pets. Besides, petting an animal helps people relax. Relaxation can help relieve chronic pain by releasing muscles from pulling on sore joints. Then the person can relax enough to get some sleep.

9. Pets Detect Diseases in Owners

Many studies and research have proven how helpful dogs can be when their owners are dealing with an illness such as cancer or diabetes. According to the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, dogs have detected diseases in owners before the owners became aware of them. Dogs have been known to detect breast cancer with 88 percent accuracy. They can also sniff out skin cancer, bladder cancer, and diabetes.

Also, dogs have been known to help patients during recovery. Just having the pet around can brighten a sick person's day.

10. Pet Owners Have Fewer Allergies

Over the years, parents have discovered that infants and small children who are around a dog or cat don't develop pet allergies.

The Scientific American Mind magazine stands by its findings that there are health benefits to owning a pet, no matter what the pet is.

There are plenty of pets available for people to own or to rent. The pet you choose depends on your personal likes.

Disclaimer

Even though there are many health benefits to owning a pet, that does not mean you should stop seeing your physician or giving up your medications. Additionally, you should be serious about bringing a pet into your household if you are not physically and financially able to take care of one. If so, you will be doing a disservice to yourself and to the pet.