How Owning a Pet Benefits Our Health and Wellness

Anyone who has a furry family member will tell you, that owning a pet is so much more than having a cute and cuddly (often four-legged) best friend. The pets in our lives actually promote our health and well-being in so many ways! Appreciate your furry friends for not only their companionship, but also for the health and wellness benefits they bring to you each day!

So, what health and wellness benefits does owning a pet actually have? For starters, pets are experts at making you happy when you’re feeling down. Just their presence has the ability to brighten a seemingly-blue day. According to Ashli Mazer, Marketing Director at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, “research has shown that through a pet’s companionship, anxiety, stress, and even depression can be relieved.”  By alleviating these mental disorders, individuals are successfully able to reduce associating physical conditions as well, including reducing blood pressure and lowering the risk of heart attacks.

Plus, as another great incentive, having a pet is an excellent reason to exercise and stay fit! Pets require an owner’s attention and care on a daily basis.  A pet’s physical needs including walks and the ever-so-common game of “fetch” can result in increased motivation for you, as an owner, to become more active with daily strolls and outdoor play! Research reveals that dog owners walk and exercise, on average, approximately 30 minutes a week more than those who aren’t pet owners, which certainly proves that having a pet by your side during exercise makes it a lot more worthwhile and will encourage you to maintain your fitness at a consistent level!

Interestingly enough, pets also help us meet new people and improve our socialization skills! One of the most valuable benefits of pet ownership is the fact that animals can be an immediate icebreaker, whether they’re with you on a walk around the neighborhood or you’re using them as a topic of conversation with others. Of course, it’s normal to sometimes have difficulty getting to know one another, and pets can be an easy solution to the awkwardness of meeting new people by helping individuals connect with a similar interest: a genuine love for animals!

Your Wellness Tip To-Go:

Learn more about the amazing health and wellness benefits that pets bring to our lives and how spa treatments can help benefit our furry friends as much as they benefit us!