Jul 12, 2022
Owning a pet is so much more than having an animal in your home that you’re responsible for. It’s more than smiling at their sweet face after a long day and making sure they have food and water. Yep, deep down… we’re talkin’ on a cellular level… there’s a lot more feel-good stuff happening. We’re talking reduced blood pressure, healthier heart, happier mind-type stuff. Whether you’re young, old, in school, or a retired professional, the companionship of an animal has proven mood-boosting benefits – and here are 5 of our favorites.
- Emotional Intelligence. Caring for a pet gives people a sense of responsibility and teaches them to be kinder, gentler, and more empathetic.
- Self Esteem. Caring for a pet lets people know that what they’re doing truly matters and makes a difference in the life of something they love. As an added bonus, studies show that pets help kids gain confidence in school by being a non-judgmental audience at homework time.
- Better Immune System. It’s proven that kids with pals are less likely to develop common allergies and a 2012 study showed that children who grew up with dogs were generally healthier in their first year of life.
- Less stress. Brushing, patting, petting, and bonding with an animal or taking time to relax and watch an aquarium is proven to lower blood pressure and reduce stress – and that goes for mom and dad too!
- More Smiles. Not only do people with pets suffer from less depression, studies have shown that children with autism smile more and cope better when in the presence of a pet.
But don’t just take our word for it – hop online and research yourself! The power of pets has been proven over and over so if you feel ready to care for something that can bring so many benefits to your mental health, consider looking into animals that interest you and what it takes to care for them.
