Many people believe that the only natural ways to obtain stress relief include practicing techniques such as exercise, yoga, meditation, breathing, and journaling. However, owning a pet can reduce stress, and provide additional health benefits.
The following are four benefits in which pets can provide stress relief.
Pets Improve Your Mood
For animal lovers, it is almost impossible to remain moody when a fluffy cat or dog rubs against your hand. Apart from stress relief and the overall health benefits of pets, researchers support their mood-boosting benefits. For instance, a study conducted in 2017 discovered that AIDS patients were at low risk of suffering from depression if they own a pet.
Pets Help in Regulating Blood Pressure
Given that ACE (Angiotensin-converting-enzyme) inhibiting drugs can usually decrease blood pressure, they are less useful in regulating blood pressure surges resulting from stress and tension.
Research indicates the presence of positive physiological outcomes, mainly reduced blood pressure, arising from petting dogs and social interaction. A simple act of stroking a dog with touch emerged to be the significant factor of the supposed pet effect.
Pets Encourage You to Get Moving
Whether you take your dog for exercise or you enjoy a walk with it, you have the best companionship. The fact is dog owners spend lots of time strolling than non-pet owners, especially those in urban locations.
Many dog owners will probably tell you they enjoy walking their dogs since they love their companionship rather than doing it by themselves. Since one way of stress relief involves exercise, dog owners manage their stress issues when they walk with their dogs.
Pets Provide Social Support
One crucial factor in managing stress involves interacting with friends or social support. Taking a dog for a walk can increase social interaction with the passerby or pet lovers. This process eventually increases social networking involving friends and acquaintances as a form of stress relief.
Therefore, consider taking a stroll with your pet, to be amazed at the number of pet adorers you meet. They will make you feel happy, especially if they state how cute your pet looks and engage you in positive conversations that provide stress relief.
They Hinder Loneliness and Offer Unconditional Love
Pets provide unconditional love and companionship in ways that people cannot. Also, they can keep secrets, enjoy comfortable silences, especially when you need peaceful moments. Therefore, they are the best cure for loneliness.
Some particular research discovered that nursing home occupants experienced less loneliness when they stayed with dogs alone than when they spend time with other people. Such benefits can minimize the level of stress people encounter while responding to social isolation feelings and little social support received from others.
Final Thoughts from the Recover on Stress Relief
While owning a pet provides stress relief and other health benefits, they come with additional responsibilities and work. Too many responsibilities can also cause stress, but the good thing is that owning them outweighs the drawbacks.
However, if you want to receive a stress relief from a pet therapy instead of owning a pet, several rehab facilities near you are available to provide such services. Ensure to inquire and confirm whether they provide pet therapy as a way of managing stress before you enroll.
