How Owning a Cat or Dog can Reduce Stress
By Mahnoor Jalal
When it comes to discussing ways to tackle anxiety and stress, some of the common tips include yoga, maintaining a healthy diet or jogging daily. While these techniques are important and have helped many people, getting an animal to take care of in your home is a wonderful stress relief and has many other help benefits. In this article, we shall tell you the benefits of how owning a pet animal makes for wonderful company and has health benefits as well.
1. They may improve your mood and outlook towards life
Scientific research backs up this fact that dogs have mood-enhancing effects and for people with mental illnesses, having the responsibility and love for another animal can encourage them to take better care of themselves and their environment. There is a scientific research that shows that men with AIDS were less likely to suffer from depression when they owned a pet.
2. Animals fulfill our need of physical touch:
Pets offer us love and companionship, and are willing to offer humans with emotional support during the most stressful times. They also provide a great distraction from the numerous problems in life, which makes them wonderful stress relievers. Studies have shown that people who live alone, especially college students or bachelors, are less likely to feel homesick or depressed if they had a pet dog or cat which provides them emotional support and the ability to touch.
3. The boost your self-esteem:
Studies show us that pet owners tend to have a better outlook at life than the people who do not own a pet. They were shown to suffer less from loneliness or lack of confidence, which contributed overall to decreased stress levels. A study from researchers in University of Miami proved that dogs are not just better companions but also boost our self-esteem
4. They make us laugh:
Laughter is the best way to forget about our worries and reduces our stress levels. Owning a cat or dog means every day is a new adventure, and forming a companionship with them has many memorable moments you would enjoy.
5. They provide us with social support
If you feel anxious walking outside alone, having a dog next to you can make us more approachable and gives people a better reason to stop by and interact with you. Also, with a dog you can have better chances to enjoy nature by taking walks to parks, hiking trails or join community fairs where you can get a chance to enjoy the atmosphere with your pet.
6. Pets help you sleep better
