Pets Help Us Live Longer

The fact that having a pet is beneficial for everyone, is a highly discussed topic. For some reason people cannot stop talking about it and connecting it to subjects that are related to living a longer life.

You may be asking yourself why people insist on talking about this topic so much? Well, it’s because pets do help us live longer! Continue reading this article to find out why.

Pets Help Us Live Longer Because…

They take away stress

Several studies have shown that living with pets reduces stress levels. Likewise, people who live with a pet recover more easily and more quickly when they are faced with stressful problems or situations. According to a study conducted at the University of Virginia, living with a pet also helps fight work-related stress. This study demonstrated that taking your pet to work reduces stress-related hormones.

They keep people from feeling lonely

Even though loneliness itself is not deadly, there have been cases of elderly people who have lost their spouses and died soon after. Therefore, many people have come to the conclusion that forced solitude is detrimental to one’s hearts and health.

Having a pet helps prevent health problems related to loneliness. Although pets aren’t the type of company you could hold a conversation with, they’re full of empathy and will do anything to make you feel better.

Animals help reduce the risk of contracting diseases

Many doctors and scientists have demonstrated that having a pet is good for the heart, asthma and other respiratory diseases. Some say that children who grow up with pets are less prone to having asthma and allergies. Therefore, it’s just as good to live with pets at an adult age.

One study followed the health of a total of 4,435 people during 10 years. They found that the people who lived with a cat or a dog had a 40% lower risk of a heart attack than those who didn’t have an animal at home.

Regardless of whether you have a pet or have ever had a heart attack, people with pets are more likely to fully recover and survive in the year following the condition. It seems that the affection, unconditional love and loyalty these animals share, helps raise people’s spirits and give them the strength to continue going forward.

On the other hand, knowing that pets depend on their owners has the subconscious force the body to recover quickly in order to continue taking care of them.

Besides that, when owners play with their pets, take them on walks and do any physical activity they require, the owner will be forced to make an extra effort, which plays an important role in their recovery.

They help people get more exercise

Everyone knows how healthy exercise is for the body, but few people are willing to act on that knowledge. However, having a pet is great for exercising, because you will need to run, play, go for walks, etc. Obviously, your pet will depend on you to make an effort while exercising.

Doing these things with your pet help calm his instincts. In turn, your pet will help you abandon your sedentary lifestyle (which is unhealthier than you think.)

There is no doubt that owning a pet is a responsibility. However, when you think about how beneficial having a pet can actually be, you realize that they provide much more than you could ever give back. Their unconditional love and loyalty helps you live longer and improves your health is priceless.

Take good care of your pet, because without you even realizing it, your pet takes good care of you. Therefore, your pet deserves all the love, attention, protection and care he can get from you.