The Power of Pets: Making Us Not Just Happier, But Healthier

As if you needed it, here's another reason to love your furry, feathered or four-legged friend: studies have shown, over and over again, that having a pet can improve not only a person's happiness but overall health as well. Here's how...

According to the CDC, health benefits of having a pet include:

• Decreased blood pressure
• Decreased cholesterol levels
• Decreased triglyceride levels
• Decreased feelings of loneliness
• Increased opportunities for exercise and outdoor activities
• Increased opportunities for socialization

But perhaps the most immediate and impactful way that people benefit from having a pet is through improved mental health. This is true for all of us, but a recent analysis of the results from 17 different studies has shown clear evidence that those who struggle with mental health problems gain particular benefit, through "ontological security" - the feeling of stability, continuity, and meaning in one's life.

So give your pet a little extra love, today and every day - it's good for both of you!

 

Related Resources 

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Behavioral Health 
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