Pets provide a lot of things, comfort, affection, and sometimes even stress. At the end of the day, they can prove to do much more for your psyche than you may realize. If you already own a pet, hopefully, this will make you appreciate them more. If you do not, maybe this will convince you to finally make the decision!
Over 470 million pets are owned worldwide. The domestication of animals has been reported since the early years of life, around 30,000 years ago. We have always been on this planet, side by side with animals, and after some time, certain kinds became family. Pets of all kinds have capabilities we will never understand. Some of the stories we are about to inform you of will prove to provide much more credit to animals.
The history of pet ownership
The first animal we as humans domesticated was, not surprisingly, dogs. Take some 30,000 years ago, dogs were domesticated before horses and cattle. Young wolves that could be trained by humans were the start of one of the most commonly owned pets.
The earliest uses of dogs were for hunting, guarding, and herding. In ancient Egypt, owners who owned dogs were known to have some of the most loyal bonds. The burial process in Egyptian culture is sacred, and there is evidence of tombs made specifically for dogs.
Cats came to their popularity when humans realized that cats were great hunters in the case of rodents. After some time, cats who would hang around houses became house pets.
How do pets provide stress relief?
Simple interactions with pets have been proven to have real results on mood. The stress hormones in our bodies are called cortisol, or cortisol levels. Interacting with animals has been a proven method to lower levels of cortisol.
If cortisol levels decrease, so does stress. Realistically this makes a lot of sense. Animals, especially pets are known to have the purest of souls. For pets, the owner is their entire life. A properly cared-for pet will show the same love and loyalty the owner shares.
A decrease in stress isn’t the only benefit of pets. There are far more benefits, these include an increase in physical health, mental health, and mood.
How pets can improve your physical health
Short of being allergic, pets have been known to help people physically. Some of the different ways pets have helped their owners have been through:
- Lowering blood pressure: being around a pet that you love promotes the feeling of calmness, which in turn helps to lower high blood pressure.
- Lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels: pets can have a real impact on your heart health. Harvard Health Publishing notes that “…some evidence…owning a dog is associated with lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.”
- Decreasing anxiety and depression: The more happiness you add to your life can help tackle feelings of depression and anxiety. As we said before, owners of pets are the most important things to pets. Their unconditional love can help to provide some comfort when it is needed. Some animals are trained as therapy animals; you may frequently hear of therapy dogs. These kinds of animals tend to be brought to patients in hospitals, and sometimes even colleges during finals week!
- Decreasing levels of PTSD: Dogs specifically will be noted in this point; not to say other forms of pets aren’t as effective. Dogs though are able to feel and read emotions to their owners. Those diagnosed with PTSD can find a pet like a dog to be very comforting.
Pet’s abilities to help children
Besides the fact that pets provide unconditional love and companionship, they have proven to do wonders for children with autism or ADHD.
A consideration to be noted for children with autism is the tendency to feel loneliness. Especially because their minds and feelings can operate differently from people around them. Pets can provide children with autism a companion with all the love in the world for them.
A study summarized by News In Health concluded that “…children with autism disorder were calmer while playing with guinea pigs in the classroom.” Following that study, the children had better social interactions and were more engaged with the children around them.
Another study noted by News In Health described a theory that showed that dogs have the capability of helping children with ADHD. Two groups of children diagnosed with ADHD were assembled. The first group read to a therapy dog once a week for thirty minutes. The second group read to puppets who appeared as dogs. The results showed that the first group that read to a real therapy dog showed “…better social skills and more sharing, cooperation, and volunteering. They also had fewer behavioral problems.”
What to consider before making the choice to own a pet
While we are preaching the benefits of pets, they are a huge responsibility. Thorough research needs to be done before making this decision.
- Do you have time for a pet?
- Are you financially prepared for a pet?
- Are there any possibilities of allergies?
- Do you have enough room for a pet?
- Will this pet fit your lifestyle?
- What does this particular pet need (grooming, training, etc.)
Another option to consider is adopting an animal from a shelter or rescue. For the animal, adoption often means a second chance at a loving home and a life free from neglect or abuse. This change in environment can have a positive impact on the animal’s physical and mental health, leading to increased happiness and well-being.
When making this decision you must have a clear head. We at Relaxium have a supplement called Relaxium Focus Max. This supplement was designed to promote sharper focus, boost brain performance, and supply vital nutrients to the body.
Pets are more powerful than you may realize
There is a reason we as humans have owned pets for such a long time. There is no greater bond or loyalty than family, and that is what pets truly become. This kind of family member isn’t the kind that can talk back! We hope this has been an interesting read, and possibly a convincing one!
To restful and healthy days ahead.
The Relaxium Team
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.