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At the end of the long day, you watch cat or dog videos on YouTube or Instagram and it brings smile on your face and put you in a good mood. Snuggling next to pets while their furry chests softly rumble is a proven antidote to the day’s stress. What better friend is there than a four-legged one?
The one absolute, unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world—the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous—is his dog.
George Graham Vest
It’s hard to deny the unconditional love of a pet. When you’ve had a dreadful day, it’s easy to sweep away your sorrows with the warm embrace of a cuddly canine, faithful feline, rousing rabbit etc. For millions around the world, having a pet brings a circle of love into their lives.
The word “Pet”, when heard, brings a loving smile on our face. The bonding between human and animal is age old. We might need to dig into the ancient history to understand the beginning of this bond. It could be assumed that as domestication of animals took place in farming, protecting household etc, the functional need transformed into a companionship. In modern times, keeping pets is growing as a hobby as well as a means to complete the family by empty nesters. It continues as a beautiful relationship. We have a number of stories around the globe, to read and listen to, about growing human-pet connections. Each story is unique and has bountiful essence of love.
Why are pets good for your overall wellbeing?
1. Reduce depression and loneliness
Pets are the perfect sidekick. They’re consistent in a world where nothing else is, offering comfort and companionship through thick and thin.
Pets sense the arrival of their master much before anyone else would notice. Dogs rush to the door wagging tail all set to jump on the Master as soon he/she enters. Wagging tail is the sign to express their happiness. Cats welcome with a soft meow sound asking attention from the master to pat them. Pets won’t rest until they get full attention from the master with a cuddle and gentle pat.
While animals make most of us smile, there are plenty of studies to confirm that they actually do help reduce symptoms of depression and improve emotional wellbeing.In recent studies, it was found that interactions with animals increased levels of oxytocin, a hormone associated with positive, happy feelings. For those that own a pet, these feelings are even more amplified.
In today’s modern world, loneliness is a major risk factor for poor mental health. A study that looked at the benefits of animal-assisted therapy in nursing homes, residents showed less symptoms of depression after a 2 hour interaction with animals including dogs, cats and rabbits. But not only do pets provide one-on-one companionship – they encourage companionship with others, too.
2. Great Stress Busters
Everyone feels overwhelmed, under pressure or stressed out from time to time.
While these feelings can be more frequent for some, research suggests they’re often more manageable among people with pets. After a hard day’s work, spending time with pets would qualify as the best stress buster. A walk in the park or playing with pet not only brings enjoyment, also helps in distraction from unwanted worries of workstress.
In a study from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, it was found that children with pet dogs were less likely to test positive on a screening test for anxiety. It makes perfect sense when you think about it.
Some companies have the occasional ‘Take Your Dog To Work Day’ – they’re pet-friendly every day. And guess what – the notion that animals can help combat chronic stress among employees actually works.
Being around animals sparks the release of calming chemicals in the body, helping us feel a lot calmer.
3. Improve Socialization
Similar to the baby effect, it’s a lot easier to strike up a random conversation when someone has a cute puppy in tow. A dog fervently sniffing another dog at the park naturally progresses into friendly banter between owners.
Many studies suggest that more smiles and conversations were recorded whenever the dog was around and people in wheelchairs had more positive interactions with a service dog than without one.
4. Good for your heart
It’s easy to grasp why pets – particularly dogs – are good for our physical wellbeing.
According to the American Heart Association, owning a dog reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. There’s no black and white reason why, but there’s a good chance it’s due to all the exercise and attention that dogs need.
Without a dog, it’s easy to forget to find 30 minutes of physical activity each day. But with an overly eager pooch basically begging you to get outside, it’s a whole lot easier to meet your daily activity requirements. And not to mention, being with the nature has plenty of wellbeing benefits in itself.
Of course for some seniors, walking a dog every day may not be possible, but there are still plenty of physical benefits of playing with pets at home.
Keeping pets is not an easy task. It is a responsibility. They need to be looked after well with their food requirements, health and wellbeing, and hygiene. They need to be treated kindly and they deserve good living conditions.
In our endeavor to create a better life and a better world for everyone, TIWIW advises that owners should have full involvement and commitment towards pets. Owners can express wish not only for themselves but also for their Pets through the TIWIW platform. Check out inspiration board for pet friendly products and services.
Express a wish today on TIWIW on behalf of your pet and see it’s getting fulfilled!
and adopt a conscious lifestyle, checkout the TIWIW App now!
What do you think?