It’s no secret that pets bring their humans so much joy (and plenty of laughter, too). They warmly greet us at the door, make funny faces every now and then, and snuggle up with us when we need comfort most. It turns out that their positive impact on us reaches further than just our day-to-day lifestyle.
Pets can actually help us live longer. Some studies conducted by The American Heart Association report that pets have many health benefits, from lowering stress overall to keeping you more active throughout the week. Most of these studies focused on dog owners.
Check out these interesting facts:
Petting a dog or cat can reduce blood pressure response to stress by 50% in people taking medication for hypertension
Spending time with a pet can lower anxiety and blood pressure and increase levels of serotonin and dopamine
54% of dog owners are more likely to meet recommended levels of weekly physical activity – always get in your daily dog walks
In a 20-year study, people who never owned a cat were 40% more likely to die of a heart attack than those who had
Overall, pet owners are less likely to die of any cardiac disease, including heart failure
