Most pet owners are clear about the immediate joys of sharing their lives with pets.
However, many of us remain unaware of the physical and mental health benefits that can also accompany the pleasure of becoming too few friends.
There are studies to show that the human-animal relationship benefits our health.
Caring interactions with a pet also increase beta-endorphin, oxytocin, and dopamine levels. These chemicals have positive benefits for the human body.
Don’t Think They Don’t Have Emotions Or Feelings.
Most pets have evolved to be aware of humans, behavior, and emotions.
Dogs can understand many of the words we speak. They can take that information from our body language, tone of voice, and gestures.
Like any human companion, a devoted dog will gaze you in the eyes to measure your emotional condition. Dogs will attempt to comprehend what you are thinking and feeling.
Pets, especially cats and dogs, can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. They can relieve loneliness, encourage exercise, and even improve cardiovascular health.
Caring for an animal can help children grow more confident and active.
Pets also provide valuable companionship for the elderly. A pet can add true joy and unconditional love to your life.
Time spent with our pets can have a huge impact on our well-being, but why do they have such a profound effect on us?
Just looking at the large eyes and round faces of our pets reminds us of our own human babies. Even causing the same release of the love chemical oxytocin, in both of us and them.
Related: Do You Think The Animals Doing Meditation?
Owning a pet is not a way to make yourself happy – it is a way to boost your mental health. Research shows that pet ownership lowers blood pressure and reduces depression.
Stress Hormones, Well-being, and Neurotransmitters
The stress of everyday life is constantly getting to people and causing them mental and physical pain.
Most people can’t find enough time in the day to relax, which only makes the problem worse. It’s a vicious cycle that feeds itself and leads to more health problems.
However, some things might help you reduce your stress relief, such as meditation, Qigong, Hypnosis, Wim Hof, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, etc.
If you can’t have enough time to do that, don’t be sad.
Pets can make us calm. Touching a cat or watching your hamster 🙂 will make a big difference in your daily life. It’s like meditation.
Also, as we know from Instagram videos, cats are funny!
Feel Good Chemicals For Brain, Our Bodies, Depression, and Anxiety
The number of people experiencing health problems related to drug abuse is rising. Side effects of drugs include mental changes like decreased attention span, mood swings, and an inability to concentrate.
Besides, your brain chemicals are directly affected by your lifestyle. For example, your diet can impact the way cognitive functions such as concentration and decision-making processes are carried out.
Natural supplements such as Rhodiola Rosea, GABA, L-tyrosine, and magnesium might help you get more brain chemicals.
Yet, playing with your dog and cat also increase your serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine level.
Most of us struggle with negativity, mood swings, and anxiety.
However, we are trying to escape these negative feelings with substances, such as alcohol or hard drugs.
These substances create a strong euphoria, which many crave to feel better. For example, serotonin deficiency leads to the craving for sugary foods. Dopamine deficiency leads to Tobacco craving. GABA deficiency leads to alcohol etc.
One way to avoid these harmful substances is by taking care of ourselves. Serotonin is a natural chemical in the brain, so optimizing brain chemicals is essential to our wellbeing.
Touching animals might help us create positive feelings without side effects. (sure, make sure you won’t touch the lion in this regard!
Owning a pet can also reduce stress and anxiety levels. The presence of a pet can relieve loneliness and induce oxytocin production, a hormone that reduces stress levels.
It isn’t easy to find a friend these days. You want to share many years of experiences and memories with someone else, but nobody is around.
Having a pet will give you a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Caring for a pet will help you meet new people, and you’ll probably have conversations with fellow pet owners in dog parks and at pet stores.
Animals make it easier.
- Going to the park with your dog
- Taking out your cat to the vet
- Going to the pet store
- Joining pet forums
You can better communicate with another pet owner.
Daily, the rediscovery of communication and the capacity to interact with total strangers will make you feel better.
Research has shown that kids who own pets are more likely to succeed than children without pets. Children who have pets exhibit better emotional intelligence than their peers, which directly correlates to academic success.
What Advantages and Disadvantages Of Owning a Pet?
In summary, these are the advantages of having pets at home:
- More oxytocin is called the hormone of love.
- Reduce cortisol level
- Becoming more social leads to creating of more positive chemicals and proteins such as Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF).
- It increases self-discipline and responsible behavior.
- Pets are great for children—the emotional, affective, and intellectual development of children and adolescents.
- Pets can reduce the feeling of loneliness.
- More physical activity.
However, never underestimate the importance of low cortisol. Because cortisol is the main reason you get most the illnesses. Lowering cortisol is also good for becoming a calmer person.
Related: The Ultimate Guide for Becoming Calm Person
Sure, they are also other disadvantages to owning a pet, such as:
- It might be expensive
- When they die, you will feel sad.
- They can run away from home or lost
- Some people might get allergic
- You need to clean the house a little bit more
However, studies have shown that pets can make the lives of mentally unhealthy people.
Lower Blood Pressure
Blood pressure affects most people. The real reason for blood pressure is not known.
High insulin, magnesium deficiency, chronic stress, lack of sleep, genetic, and other factors may lead to high blood pressure.
Good news, there are things you might consider doing. According to data published by the American Heart Association, the gods and cats lower blood pressure by reducing stress and physical activity.
Touching animals reduces stress in the body. This has positive effects on the nervous system. Pets, such as a cat, are often funny in their actions. Watching animals gives us joy and helps relieve the tiredness of the day.
Connect Nature, Body, and Mind.
We lose connection with nature.
For positive mood and wellbeing, we should spend our time in nature. However, modern society separates our connections from our inner selves.
Touching a dog is just one step toward connecting with nature. Animals are still pure, beautiful, and have wisdom.
These friends are just a clue of real nature in our small home.
Nature improves psychological wellbeing.
- Spending time with nature might help your emotions. Research shows that people have better cognitive when nature walks. (source)
- Another study showed that spending time with nature improves mood. (source)
- However, as we talked about, nature might help reduce cortisol levels (source)
Nature has a lot of negative ions, and it’s beneficial for health, body, even mitochondria. Animals are a beautiful part of nature.
Careful: Owning a pet is not for everyone
Pets are great!
But it could be best if you can afford pets’ needs, such as their food. If you have a low income, it might affect you badly. In addition, those who are allergic to animal fur should be careful. The fur of some animals can be a problem for those living in the house. It can even make you sick in case of allergies.
If you are out of the house a lot, think carefully before having a pet.
Optimize Your Life, Body, and Soul
Can own a pet help depression?
Depression is complex. Owning a pet might be helpful if you have loneliness. In addition, pets release oxytocin as a result of “touch.” It reduces stress in the body. Some pets are funny and make us laugh. Don’t you see the funny cat’s videos?
Does owning a pet make you more responsible?
Sure. Animals have specific needs such as food, home, and others. This is also important for the pet we take into the house. Especially taking action to meet their needs increases our sense of responsibility.