4 Surprising Health Benefits Of Owning A Pet

by John Griffith
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Coming home to a loyal companion brings a special kind of joy to the heart. However, the unconditional love of a pet does a lot more than just bring you joy and keep you company. While you may not have gotten a pet with the idea of simply having a little friend around the house, these lovely companions are actually amazing for your overall health. This includes both your mental and your physical health. While you also have a lot of responsibilities when you have a pet, the benefits outnumber them. No matter if you have a cat, a dog, a bird, or a reptile, you will always have a friend waiting for you at home after a long day. Today, we will share with you some amazing health benefits of owning a pet that you never knew about.

Coming home to a loyal companion brings a special kind of joy to the heart

health benefits of owning a pet brown labarador

Health Benefits Of Owning A Pet

Pets quickly become part of the family. They are loving, loyal, and bring us joy. Having these animals at home can also benefit us in ways that we never even imagined. There are a lot of benefits to a human-animal bond, most invisible. While some are obvious like the joy of having a companion, others are most subtle. Check out some of the ways having a little animal friend around can help you mentally and physically.

There are a lot of benefits to a human-animal bond

health benefits of owning a pet green parrot

#Good for heart health

Your pet may be keeping your heart healthy. Some studies found that people with pets have lower base heart rates and lower blood pressure. Those are two things that can cause a lot of issues if they are high. Both potential markers for heart disease lowered just by having a lovely pet by your side. So, by having your pet around you are helping your heart out tremendously.

Your pet may be keeping your heart healthy

health benefits of owning a pet cat licking its paw

#Promote better mental health

Having a pet is amazing for your mental health. Pets can help prevent and battle feelings of loneliness as they are always around and love us unconditionally. Not only that but petting your animals is not only enjoyable for them but it also helps boost the feel-good hormone oxytocin in humans. Petting your beloved animals also lowers the stress hormone cortisol. Pets are the antidepressants you never knew you needed.

Having a pet is amazing for your mental health

health benefits of owning a pet hand holding a chamelion

#Keep you in shape

Pets like dogs need their daily dose of exercise. This means you will also be getting your daily dose of exercise alongside them. Walking your dog five days a week for half an hour can help you reach the recommended 150 minutes of exercise each week. Wow! You are bonding with your dog and exercising without even realizing it. Regular exercise is crucial for maintaining good mental and physical health. So, thank your dog for making you go on those daily walks.

You will be getting your daily dose of exercise alongside your dog

woman and her dog outside

#Promote social connections

Once you have a pet, you become more social. And we are not talking about just dog owners who have to go outside and find themselves interacting with other owners. Pets in general open up a whole new line of conversation. Maybe you got a turtle and added yourself to a Facebook group about turtle owners or you got a cat and are now uploading pictures of it on Reddit. Either way having a pet opens you up to an entire new possibility of social connections you never knew about. You can go to pet meetups, conventions, and so on.

Once you have a pet, you become more social

person touching a turtle

Who knew owning a pet came with so many health benefits? We hope you found this article useful. Now that you know some of the health benefits of owning a pet make sure to give your animal friend a little bit of extra love as a thank you for keeping you in tip-top shape.

Who knew owning a pet came with so many health benefits?

health benefits of owning a pet cat snuggling owner

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John Griffith

John Griffith is a young, passionate journalist. Writing has been John’s hobby ever since he was a boy. He has worked in some of the UK’s most successful news portals over the course of his professional career but found his forever home at Archzine.