How pets can improve your Lifestyle

While people with pets often experience the greatest health benefits. Studies have shown that:

1. Pet owners are less likely to suffer from depression than those without pets.
2. People with pets have lower blood pressure in stressful situations than those without pets.
3. Heart attack patients with pets survive longer than those without.
4. Pet owners over age 65 make 30 percent fewer visits to their doctors than those without pets.
5. One of the reasons for these therapeutic effects is that pets fulfill the basic human need for touch.
6. Even criminals in prison show long-term changes in their behavior after interacting with pets, many of them experiencing mutual affection for the first time.
7. Stroking, hugging, or otherwise touching a loving animal can rapidly calm and soothe you when you’re stressed or anxious.
8. Taking a dog for a walk, hike, or run are fun and rewarding ways to fit healthy daily exercise into your schedule. Dog owners are far more likely to meet their daily exercise requirements.
9. Providing companionship can help prevent illness and even add years to your life. Especially, if you live alone, most pet owners talk to their pets and nothing beats loneliness like coming home to a wagging tail or purring cat.
10. Pets can be a great social being for the owner in helping you start and maintain new friendships. Dog owners frequently stop and talk to each other on walks, hikes, or in a dog park. Pet owners also meet new people in pet stores, clubs, and training classes.
11. Many pets, especially dogs, require a regular feeding and exercise schedule. Having a consistent routine keeps an animal balanced and calm, which can be adding structure and routine to your day as well.
12. Touch and movement are two healthy ways to quickly manage stress. Stroking a dog, cat, or other animal can lower blood pressure and help you quickly feel calmer and less stressed.
13. Owning a pet can play an important role in healthy aging to find meaning and joy in life.
14. As you age, you’ll lose things that previously occupied your time and gave your life purpose. Hence, Pets, especially dogs, are a great way for older adults to spark up conversations and meet new people.
15. Children and adults can benefit from playing with pets, which can provide a source of calmness and relaxation, as well as a source of stimulation for the brain and body.
16. Pets can help children with learning disabilities learn how to regulate stress and calm themselves, making them better equipped to overcome the challenges of their disorder.