Pets as a Source of Good Health and Happiness

Every owner will not deny, pets as a source of good health and happiness. In the chaotic world of today, where one has to go through all the worries, stress and loneliness, owning a pet is a therapy. Pets can help us reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, ease loneliness and encourage exercise and playfulness. Pets are actually proven to be a source of good physical and mental health.

Owning a pet, spending time with them, playing with them, watching their behavior brings happiness to humans. Most of the pet owners are clear about the immediate joys that come with sharing their lives with companion animals. Having a pet around has been known to aid many mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, and ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). It is found that pets offer a sense of stability, continuity, and meaning in one’s life. Pets reduce stress and anxiety levels, helping us relax and feel more positive about ourselves. It’s been found that even stroking pets can reduce stress.

Researchers have found that people have a lower blood pressure when they pet a dog than when they interact with another person. Animals can serve as a source of comfort and support. They’re sometimes brought into hospitals or nursing homes to help reduce patients’ stress and anxiety. Dogs especially seem to help in this case. Not only these, Children also get attracted towards the pet easily. They get an opportunity to entertain themselves with the pets around and parents don’t need to worry about the children.

Pets as a source of good health and happiness in point of physical fitness

A pet in a home feels like family to the owner in a comparable pattern. They treat them like a single member of the family. Every type of pet, including dogs, parrots, cats, mice, fish, and so forth, makes the owner feel more like a family. However, the canines give the owner’s family a distinct sense of family, provide security, and do other things. They guard our home as if it were their own. We receive the security without being asked. With this way of thinking, people can relax in bed at night after a long day of work and other responsibilities.

Not only about the mental health, also being with a pet also helps to increase physical fitness. We go on frequent trips outside or long runs and walks with your animals. Normally, people tend to skip their walk or feel like just laying in the bed when they have some spare time, especially today’s generation. But, if you have a pet, you have to walk even just for them and people actually enjoy such walks. People do not feel forced, instead they follow the routine with their own will and stick to it. Also, getting exercise with your pet is free, unlike gym memberships and many organized workout groups.

Having a pet leads to a release in calming endorphins – oxytocin which are also known as happy hormones through comfort, cuddles and laughter. A person who just watches a fish swim is calmer due to its smooth nature. Similarly, a person who sees a rat or a cat entering to a small bar with its flexibility gets motivated thinking life is not much harder than you see it. Statistics also show that people perform tasks better around pets than any person, be it their partner, friends or family. People who use pet therapy while recovering from surgery also use less pain medications than those without a pet. Yes, indeed these study accepts too pets as a source of good health and happiness.

Having a pet is believed to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, especially for those with hypertensive, over thinkers or high-risk patients. Research suggests that pet owners are less likely to have fatal diseases like a heart attack or a stroke.

Several studies show that having a pet can decrease cholesterol, blood pressure, and triglycerides, which are all contributing factors for a heart attack. This could be due to decreased levels of stress, anxiety and events due to more physical activities. Also, taking care of someone is a responsibility; hence, having a pet may make a person more responsible in taking care of one’s health.ets as a source of good health and happiness in point of mental health.

Human beings, being a social animal, requires companionship, which the pets provide the best. Such companionship can lead people to fight against loneliness and depression. Elderly and sick people who are dealing with post-traumatic stress have also been found to have improved mood and health outcomes when adding a pet or service dog to their lives.

Similarly, a research has proved that, “In many countries the old – age home where people left their parents have got pets more than the old age people. The reason behind this is that old people get engaged with pets more than other things in the house. They also concluded that old age people are much happier and healthy having pets with themselves.” Hence, getting animals is beneficial in combating depression as well. People feel more needed and wanted when they have a pet to care for.

Anyone who struggles in socialising is also benefited by having a pet. Whether physically interacting with other people outside or engaging in a conversation about your pet, having an animal is a great way to connect with others. Also, studies show that pet owners are perceived as friendlier by their neighbours, likely due to the amount of engagement they have when outdoors.

When you take out your dog or cat for a walk, you get more familiar with the outside world and get to spend more time with people outside. It is also easy for a person to start a conversation with you if you have a pet. They may start talking about your pet and then carry out a conversation. Pets create opportunities for better social interaction, especially if you join an animal club or attend pet shows. Going to pet-friendly events, beaches or parks can also help increase your social network. You could make new friends just by taking your dog for a walk or waiting at the vet, due to the shared interest in your pets.

Pets as a source of good health and happiness for children

In addition to that, having a dog in infancy can improve a child’s overall immune system, as well as reduce allergies. Having a pet in the home can decrease a child’s likelihood of developing allergies. It’s believed that the dander in pet hair might serve as a natural immunotherapy for babies and children. The stronger immune system a child has, the more he can involve himself in other activities. A child gets more time in playing and developing his skills if he or she is healthy. It also reduces the days of missing school. Also, pets help in the overall child’s development.

Emotional development is vitally important for children to become healthy adults. And pets have proven to be beneficial to children, particularly those with developmental challenges. And for children with autism, the sensory experience of petting an animal can be soothing, and they have greater social skills. A pet can help develop a young and expanding mind by teaching a child empathy and understanding. Kids can talk with their pet without a fear of rejection, which enables them to build their confidence, and even their vocabulary. For even the children, pets as a source of good health and happiness, provides the better bond and company.

As a person ages, they lose things that previously occupied their time and gave their life a purpose. Caring for a pet can bring pleasure and help boost one’s morale, optimism, and sense of self-worth. Choosing to adopt a pet from a shelter adds to the sense of fulfillment, knowing that you’ve provided a home to a pet.

However, having a pet also has a few drawbacks. Pets cost money and require least daily care and attention. Pets can also be destructive and require responsibility. Pets also carry health risks for some people as some diseases that can be transmitted from cats and dogs to their human handlers like allergies.

To conclude, pets as a source of good health and happiness, help a person in having a better physical as well as mental health by relieving stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, providing them a sense of responsibility and a lot of happiness. Stroking a pet gives happiness, calms the mind. Having a pet encourages playfulness, laughter, and exercise, which can help boost your immune system and increase your energy.

Though having a pet comes with some responsibilities and economic burden, it actually helps in overall development and well being of an individual. Hence, be the owner of the pets, and have pets as a source of good health and happiness.