We already know that having a dog or a cat at home can be good for your mental health, but did you know it can also be good for heart health too? That’s right, it turns out that there are more health benefits to being a pet owner than we ever realized.
According to the American Heart Association, there are a number of heart healthy facts to consider when you are either considering a pet or already have one (or more) at home. And all of them revolve around the positive impacts that owning a dog (or a cat) will have on your health.
So what are some of the health benefits to being a pet parent? And what have studies discovered that makes it even more beneficial to have a dog in your life?
Here’s why being a pet parent is good for your heart and your overall health
One major fact that we found interesting was that, “Dog owners are 31% less likely to die from a heart attack or stroke than non-dog owners.” That is a major chunk of the population and it is definitely something that is hard to ignore. It also makes us wonder if people with health issues related to their heart should have one in their lives as a support animal of some type.
Another interesting fact about being a dog owner is that, “People with prior heart events who had a dog living at home had a 65% reduced risk of death.” Again, it is important to note that this is another positive reason to have a dog at home, especially if you are at a greater risk for health issues.
But it is not just the heart health that is improved by being a pet owner. Studies and surveys find that people with dogs are more likely to reach their fitness goals and of course, they are also more likely to be active and get up and walk with their dog.
Being a dog owner adds something to your life and in a lot of ways, it has to do with not only our mental health, but also our physical health. Having a pet can improve your mood and also your ability to be interactive with other people.
Even our stress levels can decrease when we have a dog in our life because they can help to release what amounts to happy hormones just from petting them and being in their presence.
We all know that dogs have a way of worming their ways into our hearts, but who knew that this was also a great way to keep our heart healthy. And we can’t be mad at the fact that dogs are basically the best medicine in the world.
Are you surprised by the health benefits of being a pet parent? Does the health benefits of being a dog owner change the way you look at being a pet parent?