If you already have a furry companion you know how much happiness your pet brings to your daily life.  No matter how bad your day was you know that when you get home your pet will always greet you with a smile and unconditional love as soon as you enter the door.  Besides making a bad day a little better, owning a pet has health benefits too.  From decreasing stress to improving your mood, your pet can improve your health.

Lowers Blood Pressure And Reduces Stress

Have you ever noticed that just being around your pet makes you feel better?  Lisa Fields, a contributor for WebMD, notes that petting your animal makes you feel good and “It can lower your blood pressure, helps your body release a relaxation hormone, and cuts down on levels of a stress hormone.”

Eases Pain

Pets can be a great medicine when a person is dealing with chronic pain such as migraines or arthritis.  One study found that people who use some form of pet therapy while recovering from surgery need significantly less pain medication than those who do not.

Mood Booster

Many of the health benefits of owning a pet may stem from the mental and emotional benefits.  Pets are used in various forms of therapy for this very reason.  Dogs are used to help people with anxiety issues as well as helping veterans deal with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Helps People Socialize And Exercise

Owning a dog can actually increase a person’s opportunities to socialize and be more active.  Since dogs need to be walked to reduce certain behavioral issues (like digging) the simple act of getting some fresh air and walking your dog can be a great opportunity to socialize with your neighbors as well as get active yourself.

Helps With Childhood Development

Children who grow up with pets can benefit in many ways.  Having an emotional attachment to a pet along with the responsibility of taking care of a pet can help a child develop an emotional connection with animals as well as teach them about responsibilities.  Pets can also be beneficial to children who have autism and ADHD.

Monitor Blood Sugar Levels And Prevent Strokes

According to the American Diabetes Association, a study found that one-third of pets (dogs, cats, bird and rabbits) living with diabetics would change their behavior when their owner’s blood sugar level dropped.  Also owning a pet, particularly a cat can be beneficially in cardiovascular health.  Studies have shown that if you own a cat, you are 30 percent less likely to have a heart attack and 40 percent less likely to have a stroke.

So make sure you are taking care of that pet of yours.  Make sure to give your animal lots of love and exercise and keep that pet healthy.  Look for a great vet and pet insurance to keep your furry friend healthy, because they are keeping you healthy too.

Originally posted on November 18, 2016 @ 1:10 pm