It’s a well-known fact that pets can boost our spirits – research has repeatedly demonstrated this over the years. So it’s not surprising that animals are being increasingly used to improve health and well being in various walks of life. Need more evidence that your pet can help you de-stress? Read on for 5 areas where pets can help alleviate some everyday stresses:

• Exam Stress
Various colleges, including Tufts University and UC San Diego, now employ therapy dogs to help relieve exam-associated anxiety. Students get to pet, feed and play with the dogs, allowing them some smiles as well as a much-needed break to counteract the monotony of studying. In addition to the immediate stress relief, experts report that simply petting a dog can have longer lasting effects and can help produce better exam results. Allowing yourself the chance to clear your mind of exam thoughts seems to improve the ability to retain information, and therefore help the learning process.

• The Mind
Pets play a crucial role in emotional health and can certainly bring us many psychological benefits. They greatly reduce feelings of loneliness in people who live alone, not only through companionship, but also because they improve social interactions by becoming a topic of conservation with others. They also serve as a great, natural anti-depressant – research has shown that petting animals can help increase the release of endorphins and other chemicals in the body that are linked with pleasure.

• The Body
Owning a pet seems to be correlated with improved general health in people. Research studies from UCLA and Cambridge University both reported that pet owners apparently make fewer visits to their doctor. And additionally, a study of Medicare patients demonstrated that dog-owning seniors made fewer doctor visits than those without a dog. A large Australian study also determined that pet owners needed less medication for conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and high cholesterol.

• Self Esteem
Research studies have also demonstrated a link between pet ownership and improved self-esteem in children. Additionally, pets apparently help children develop empathy as well as improving their cognitive abilities.

• Family Life
It’s common for pet owners to describe their pet as “part of the family”. Pets are reported to enhance the quality of family life in numerous ways, including minimizing tension between family members, as well as helping them to develop increased compassion for living things. One survey of US families described the important role of pets during stressful events such as a family crisis or the death of someone close.

So it’s official – pets are good for your mind, and your body. If you don’t already own a pet, it’s time to think about adding one to your life. They’re just what the doctor ordered!

This article was created by Mey Lau, one of the invisible dog fence supplies and dog containment experts at www.dogfencediy.com.

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