Are you contemplating on why you should have or get a pet? Well! You are just in the right page, keep reading because this post will aid your decision making. Anyone can decide to keep pets be it children, adult or older people. Most people have a pet at some point during their lifetime. Whether it’s a cat, dog, fish, and rabbit or otherwise, pets give giggling and friendship that enormously upgrades our joy and adds importance to our lives. A 2015 Harris survey saw that 95% of pet people considered their animals as members of the family, showing the extent of their value.
Studies have shown that:
Pet owners are less likely to suffer from depression than those without pets.
People with pets have lower blood pressure in stressful situations than those without pets. One study even found that when people with borderline hypertension adopted dogs from a shelter, their blood pressure declined significantly within five months.
Playing with a dog, cat, or other pet can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine, which calm and relax.
Pet owners have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels (indicators of heart disease) than those without pets.
Heart attack patients with pets survive longer than those without.
Pet owners over age 65 make 30 percent fewer visits to their doctors than those without pets.
LET’S TALK ABOUT, HOW PETS HELPS YOU HAVE A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE:
Having a healthy lifestyle plays an important role in alleviating the symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, bipolar disorder, and PTSD. Taking care of your pet can help you have a healthy lifestyle.
1. PROVIDING COMPANIONSHIP
Companionship can help prevent sickness and even add years to your life, while isolation and loneliness can trigger symptoms of depression. Caring for an animal can help make you feel needed and wanted, and take the focus away from your problems, especially if you live alone.
Most dog and cat owners talk to their pets, some even use them to work through their troubles. And nothing beats loneliness like coming home to a wagging tail or purring cat.
2. HELPS YOU MAKE NEW FRIENDS
Pets are a great social lubricant for their owners and help them build and maintain new friendships. On walks, hikes, or dog parks, dog owners often stop and talk.
Pet owners may also meet new people at pet stores, clubs, and training courses.
3. HELPS YOU DEVELOP A DAILY ROUTINE
Many pets, especially dogs, require regular feeding and exercise schedules. A consistent routine keeps the animal balanced and calm. And it helps you too. One obvious look from your pet, regardless of your mood (depressed, worried, or stressed), and you want to feed, exercise, and care for them. I have to get out of bed.
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4. HELP IN REDUCING STRESS
Touch and movement are two healthy ways to manage stress quickly. Stroking dogs, cats, and other animals can lower blood pressure, calm you down, and quickly relieve stress.
5. HELPS BUILD SELF-CONFIDENCE
Animal companions can bring comfort, relieve anxiety and build self-confidence to those who are afraid to go out into the world. Pets tend to live at that moment (no need to worry about what happened yesterday or what will happen tomorrow), so pets will help you be more attentive and understand your current joys.
6. HELPS BUILD CONNECTION
Walking, hiking, and running your dog are fun and rewarding ways to schedule healthy daily exercise. Studies show that dog owners are much more likely to meet their daily exercise needs, and daily exercise is also suitable for pets. It deepens the connection between you, eliminates behavioral problems in most dogs and keeps your pet healthy.
CONCLUSION
Most people would love to own a pet but due to some certain circumstances like: time, money and ability to rear them, they can’t. Don’t be discouraged, if you are really a pet person, you can ask to walk your neighbor’s dog or even volunteer to walk a pet in an animal shelter.
Keeping a pet around will really help you have a healthy lifestyle. But if you don’t like animals, please do not force it. If you have made up your mind to adopt a pet check out this site.
Feel free to leave a comment below, telling me the animal you prefer to keep as a pet. I know a friend who once had a chameleon as pet. I will love to know yours too.