There are pros and cons to taking care of a pet. But did you ever think that they may be able to reduce stress in your life? So if you like animals, here are four reasons why you might want to buy yourself a cat or dog.
They can reduce loneliness
When you come home from a stressful day at work, sometimes it could get lonely being there by yourself. Having a pet around can ease that bit of loneliness. Research shows that having a cat or a dog can reduce loneliness and depression, which are caused by stress. Animals provide valuable companionship for someone going through these problems.
They could possibly lower your blood pressure
Research even shows that people with pets have lower blood pressure in stressful situations than those without pets. There was even one study that found when people with borderline hypertension adopted dogs from a shelter, their blood pressure declined significantly within five months.
They could help you make lifestyle changes
The beautiful thing about having a pet is that they help you make healthy changes in your life. A dog is especially a good example of this. Because you have to usually walk them, they could motivate you to exercise more. Dogs are great in helping you stay active.
So while they have their positives and negatives, having a pet around could make some of your days a little brighter. For more information on the health benefits of having a pet, check out the article, “The Mood-Boosting Power of Pets” on www.helpguide.org. As always, feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of the article.
