There are so many benefits to having a dog in your home as part of your family, and many people choose to go down this route for any number of reasons. The number of people adding a dog to their homes during the coronavirus pandemic has grown hugely, for example, as they realize there is more to life than work and stress. Yet what is it exactly about a dog that can make you feel so good? How can they improve your health (because the truth is they can)? Read on to find out.
Mood Enhancing
To begin with, a pet is a natural mood enhancer and a dog even more so. This might sound off if you’ve never had a pet before, but it’s a scientifically backed truth; people with dogs are just happier than those without them.
If you think about this, it does make sense. You have someone to take care of, and seeing them thrive because you’ve given them the right food, taken them for exercise, given them attention, and made them happy, is definitely uplifting. You’ll feel better for it, and your serotonin levels will rise, ensuring your good mood lasts for longer.
When you have a pet, you’ll feel a great sense of achievement and pride, your confidence will be higher, and your mental health will improve. All of these things will make you happier in the longer term.
Good for the Brain
When you have a dog in your life, you will use your brain more with regards to them. Keeping your brain active is important, no matter what age you are, and your dog will certainly give you a lot to think about. You’ll need to make sure you are doing everything you can for them. You can get started with how and why to change your pet food which will be good for your own brain stimulation and your dog’s diet. Plus you can look into training your dog, which again will give you a task and a challenge.
It is vital to keep your brain active to stop yourself from getting bored and to ensure your own mental health as much as possible. If you can use your dog as a way to do this, it’s good for both of you.
Good for the Heart
Studies have shown that having a dog in your home is actually good for your heart. The results show that longevity was improved and the risk of heart disease was decreased. This could be because those who have dogs do a lot more exercise than those without (dogs need to be walked daily, sometimes multiple times). Not only that, but people who have pets have to be patient and calmer – they are dealing with animals, after all, and they can be unpredictable.
The calmer you are, the lower your blood pressure, which is good for the heart, so by having the calming influence of a dog in your life, and by getting more exercise, you can be a lot healthier overall.
