Having Pets Makes You a Healthier Person

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Having a cat or dog at home is more than convenient company

Owning a pet impacts your health in many more ways than you might originally think.

Have you ever thought about how, just by having an animal around, you can improve your overall health? We know how much our pets need us, but do we know how much we need our pets? If you think about it, it’s completely true. There have been countless studies done on all different types and ages of people. And you know what they all conclude? They all show that having pets gives some type of benefit to your health, whether it’s mental, physical, or developmental.

Anything that supports our mental, physical, or developmental health is something that everyone should take advantage of. Most people already have a pet in their home. But not everyone realizes the positive impact their pet can have on their overall health. Even if you don’t own a pet or are unable to, you can still benefit from them in a way. You still probably have a neighbor, family member, or friend that has an animal you can be around. Let’s look at the ways you can become a healthier person just by owning a pet.

Published

07/07/2022

Category

Recovery Tools

A woman smiling and petting her cat

The Mental and Emotional Benefits to Having Pets

According to the National Institute of Health, about 68% of U.S. households have at least one pet.

Animals have a way of making us feel more relaxed, needed, and happy. Owning pets, especially cats and dogs, according to the CDC, shows a decrease in feelings of depression, stress, anxiety, and loneliness. People who live with pets typically have reduced depression as opposed to those who don’t. Depression is often related to loneliness and social isolation. Having pets around helps with social isolation by giving you a companion.

Owning a pet can also help tremendously with dealing with post-traumatic stress. Many of us think of military veterans when talking about therapy or service dogs. But the most common use for support animals is a physical or mental disability. It doesn’t end there. Pets are more frequently being utilized for emotional support and therapy. The emotional bond that is formed between humans and animals is very strong. Most people who have pets often think of them as family or one of their kids. A lot of people even talk to their dog or cat as if they’re another person.

A woman and her dog playing outside

The Physical Benefits to Having Pets

Owning pets offers physical benefits even if you don’t run laps around the yard with them.

Studies have shown that just petting an animal can lower cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone we produce when we are anxious and stressed. Reducing stress and anxiety decreases the chances of high blood pressure. High blood pressure can contribute to numerous amount of heart problems. The simple social interactions between us and animals also produces oxytocin. Oxytocin is the feel-good chemical our brain releases when we are content, relaxed, and happy.

Playing with our pets does have significant physical benefits, though. Even just ten minutes of walking your dog down the road can have a significant impact on our physical health. Playing with animals has the amazing ability to increase the levels of dopamine and serotonin in our brains. These chemicals are responsible for our mood and help us stay calm and relaxed. Because of this, these pet owners have decreased cholesterol and triglyceride levels. This is another factor that reduces the risk of heart problems.

A boy and his dog exploring in a boat on a lake

The Developmental Benefits to Having Pets

There are numerous studies on the benefits that animals have on children with mental or learning disabilities.

One such study showed that children with ADHD who were around dogs in a school setting had improved focus. Another study showed the correlation between kids with diabetes and their relationship with their pet fish. The kids that owned fish as pets miraculously had lowered blood glucose levels. Caring for a fish somehow helped these adolescents manage their diabetes better. How amazing is that?

Another study was done with kids on the autism spectrum. The study showed that the kids who played with their class pet, a guinea pig, presented a more calm demeanor. Just ten minutes of time spent with these guinea pigs lowered their anxiety levels significantly. Those children overall showed better social interactions with their peers and were more engaged with them. It was suggested that the interactions with the guinea pig offered an “unconditional acceptance” that made the children more comfortable.

Conclusion

Key takeaways

  • You don’t need to own a pet to experience some of the health benefits they can offer
  • Interacting with pets can decrease cortisol and increase oxytocin, reducing stress
  • Pets can help with post-traumatic stress and emotional support therapy
  • Petting and playing with animals can reduce the chances of heart problems by lowering blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels
  • Animals can help with kids with mental disabilities like ADHD and autism

Challenge

Apply to your life

If you don’t own a pet, buy one. Try something low maintenance like a fish. If you already own a pet. Put aside fifteen minutes each day this week to get outside and play with them. I’m sure you’ll feel better after you do.

Conclusion

Key takeaways

  • You don’t need to own a pet to experience some of the health benefits they can offer
  • Interacting with pets can decrease cortisol and increase oxytocin, reducing stress
  • Pets can help with post-traumatic stress and emotional support therapy
  • Petting and playing with animals can reduce the chances of heart problems by lowering blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels
  • Animals can help with kids with mental disabilities like ADHD and autism

Challenge

Apply to your life

If you don’t own a pet, buy one. Try something low maintenance like a fish. If you already own a pet. Put aside fifteen minutes each day this week to get outside and play with them. I’m sure you’ll feel better after you do.

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This location is also the studio and homebase for content creation on Artistic Recovery. The team of professionals at Three20 conceive, draft, and edit many of the articles you find here. These recovery resources are a collaboration between certified recovery coaches, creative writers, fitness trainers, artists, musicians, and chefs. Most importantly, our content is written for people in recovery, by people in recovery.

Lindsay Violanti

Lindsay works as a Certified Addiction and Peer Recovery Coach (CAPRC-II) at Three20 Recovery. She is in long term recovery, and in April 2022, Lindsay received her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Psychology in Addictions from Purdue University Global. She has lived personal experience relating to both addiction and mental health. Lindsay is passionate about this type of work and is excited to continue her education.

Credit where credit is due

Portions of this article were originally sourced from Johns Hopkins Medicine and National Institutes of Health. If you would like to check out additional recovery articles, videos, and podcast episodes, check us out at artisticrecovery.org.

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If you don’t own a pet, buy one. Try something low maintenance like a fish. If you already own a pet. Put aside fifteen minutes each day this week to get outside and play with them. I’m sure you’ll feel better after you do.

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