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Some people firmly believe it, others are more skeptical, but the idea that owning a pet has some positive effects on its owner\u2019s health is more or less universally widespread \u2013 whether you accept it or not is another matter. But how much truth is really there?<\/p>\n
As it turns out, most scientific evidence suggests that yes, there is considerable correlation between owning a pet and having good health<\/strong> \u2013 although the reasons are usually rather mundane and have little in common with a rather mystical idea that good health is somehow produced by a mere proximity of a pet.<\/p>\n For example, dog owners often tend to have lower risk of heart disease not because dogs project some kind of beneficial energy, but simply because they usually have more reasons to get outside on a regular basis and lead generally more active lives. If you keep a dog in a flat, you have to take it out for a walk even if you would rather lie on a couch watching TV \u2013 and it is mild, but regular exercise that has best effect on cardiovascular fitness, not fitful visits to a gym every two months.<\/p>\n However, pets provide considerable benefits in psychological terms: owning a cat or a dog often helps people fight depression and other adverse psychological conditions.<\/strong> Exposure to dogs and cats shows promise in improving the condition of autistic children and alleviating the personality-destroying effects of Alzheimer\u2019s disease and similar diseases. Animal-assisted therapy is godsend in case of elderly patients who often feel lonely, forgotten and abandoned by their loved ones.<\/p>\n Apart from helping with psychological disorders, having a pet in the house is very useful for children because they learn to take care of other living beings beside themselves. They develop the sense of responsibility as well because parents tell their children that their pets belong to them and nobody else will look after them. Moreover, children tend to feel a lot of positive emotions while spending time with their pets and it adds up to an image of a happy childhood.<\/p>\n Speaking about loneliness, pets can considerably improve the psychological health of people living alone, which is incredibly important in our hectic, stress-driven life. Some studies show that the mere sound of cat\u2019s purring produces soothing and calming effect on many people, which certainly helps them to alleviate the pressure of their everyday lives.<\/p>\n All in all, on average, it is indeed beneficial for your health to own a pet \u2013 especially if it is a pet that makes you adopt a more active lifestyle. But any pet will do, as long as you can relate to it and love it.<\/p>\nReferences<\/h2>\n
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