10 Amazing Ways Pets Help with Stress & Your Mental Health
By Jessica Kim
Updated on
Humans and animals can share special bonds and mutually benefit each other. While it seems like humans are the ones caring for their pets, there are many benefits that pets give to their owners.
Many studies show that caring for pets can have a positive effect on our stress levels and overall mental health. These are some of our favorite ways that pets can help us manage and care for our mental health and stress.
The 10 Ways Pets Help with Stress & Your Mental Health
1. Decrease Cortisol Levels
Research shows that pets can help reduce stress by decreasing our cortisol levels.1 Cortisol is a stress hormone, and just petting a dog can help lower cortisol. The social interaction between dogs and humans may also end up increasing oxytocin.2 Oxytocin is also known as a “feel-good” hormone and can influence trust and parent-infant bonding.3
Studies on PTSD and psychiatric service dogs have revealed that dogs trained and certified for PTSD psychiatric service can provide a sense of safety and offer emotional and therapeutic value.4 They can also detect physical signs of anxiety and stress and learn to interrupt oncoming anxiety and panic attacks.
2. Establish Routines
Many pets are creatures of habit and rely on a routine to feel cared for. Routine often communicates to pets that they’re in a safe environment where they can trust that their daily needs will be met consistently.
Routines aren’t just beneficial for animals. Humans can also benefit from having a routine.5 Routines can help us manage stress and sleep better by providing designated and predictable blocks of time for us to complete tasks and get ready for bed. Some people can also eat better and exercise more consistently if they block out time to go grocery shopping and hit the gym.
3. Teach Empathy to Children
Pets may help develop empathy in some children. Some studies show that children can develop higher levels of empathy when caring for a dog. However, it’s important to note that other factors can impact the development of a child’s empathy. So, having a pet doesn’t guarantee that a child will learn more about empathy.
Children can still experience other benefits from caring for pets. They can learn more about responsibility and can have increased self-esteem and confidence as they learn to become responsible and capable pet owners. They can also learn to love animal companionship and feel less lonely.
4. Encourage Exercise
Dogs require daily exercise, which can also encourage their owners to engage in more exercise. Research shows that dog owners are more likely to be physically active than non-dog owners. Dogs offer plenty of exercise opportunities, especially with walking, running, and hiking. They can be fun exercise buddies that make exercise feel less boring or isolating.
The benefits of physical activity can also boost one’s mental health. Engaging in physical exercise releases endorphins, which are another feel-good hormone. It can also help you get out of a cycle of negative thoughts as you focus on the exercises.
5. Emotional Support Animals
Many animals can become successful emotional support animals (ESAs). ESAs aren’t the same as service dogs, as they don’t necessarily require specific training and certifications. They are pets prescribed by a licensed mental health professional to help with a patient’s mental health.
ESAs help people by providing companionship and easing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Some can also help individuals work through certain phobias.
6. Reduce Anxiety & Depression
Some service animals are trained to help people manage anxiety and depression. However, even pets without certain certifications can still improve people’s mental health. We’ve already mentioned how simply petting an animal can release oxytocin.
While it’s yet to be proven that a cat’s purr has healing powers, the sound can still be soothing and relaxing for people.
Pets can also indirectly boost people’s mental health by encouraging them to engage in healthy activities, like exercise and completing a routine.
7. Reduce Loneliness
Many people can attest to the nonjudgmental love that they receive from their pets. Pets can remind people that they’re not alone and be a quiet and calming presence. They often develop a strong loyalty to their owners when they’re cared for properly, and they’re usually not shy about wanting to spend time with them and receiving some attention.
You can also engage in many different activities with your pets. You can go on walks, teach your pet new tricks, or start DIY pet furniture projects. Pets can fill up your spare time with fun activities and increase the number of happy memories you make.
8. Improve Heart Health
While the exact correlations are yet to be discovered, it’s still interesting to see that pet owners can experience benefits in both physical and mental health. Petting animals may help lower your blood pressure. This can be attributed to the calming effect that petting dogs have on people.
There’s also some evidence of some dog owners having lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Some studies show that heart attack survivors who are also dog owners tend to live longer than people living with similar conditions but without pets.
9. Happier Workplace Environment
Pets may reduce stress in the workplace and promote productivity. Pets can provide some comic relief and laughter to workplaces, which helps to boost morale. Since they reduce stress and increase positivity, interactions between coworkers can be more enjoyable and productive. Internal communication also seems to improve with pets in the workplace.
Another way pets in the workplace promote happiness is by helping pet owners save on costs. Doggy daycare, dog walkers, and pet sitters can take a significant portion of one’s budget, and bringing a pet to work can reduce the stress and money spent on adequate care for pets.
10. Social Connections
There are very few people who don’t love sharing about their pets. Pets are a favorite topic amongst many pet owners and most enjoy engaging in related conversations. You can meet plenty of people with shared interests at dog parks, obedience classes, and forums dedicated to your specific kind of pet.
Since pets also boost our mental health and self-confidence, they can help us feel more open to others, initiate conversations, and be more positive. Pets can also encourage our playful side to come out more often, which can also make us more fun and cheerful companions.
Conclusion
While pets require a certain level of responsibility, they can benefit your life in so many ways. So, if you’re interested in caring for a pet, make sure to do your research to find the right kind that will fit in well with your family and lifestyle.
Pets deserve a lot of credit for how they can enrich a person’s life. So, don’t hesitate to show your pet some appreciation through cuddles or treats. They deserve a lot of love for all the ways they look out for us.
Featured Image Credit: Ryk Porras, Unsplash
