5 Fewer heart attacks. According to a Swedish study, 33% would reduce mortality risk for a single person living with an animal, and reduce it by 15% if the household consists of several people.
When you take the time to pet your cat or dog, endorphin levels (happiness hormone) increase, adrenaline, and cortisol (stress hormones) decrease, and heart rate and breathing calm down. Identical consequences when looking at an aquarium! Furthermore, dog owners have a lower rate of obesity due to their increased physical activity to walk their companions.
6 Anti-depression. The pet drastically reduces social isolation and depression, two risk factors for early mortality. Also is the case for people with motor disabilities, since an assistance dog (guide dog for the blind, for example) allows greater autonomy.
Some animals, especially cats, have a calming power. The cat’s purring, which emits low frequencies between 20 and 50 hertz, is calming for him and us. It acts as an anxiolytic without side effects.
7 Stimuli. Animals help people with motor difficulties by stimulating them to perform specific movements or gestures, throwing a toy, for example. Unlike a physiotherapy session, the patient moves for pleasure and not out of duty, which increases the session’s effectiveness.
8 The social bond. The animal is a vector of social bonding. A study by the University of Manchester highlights this beneficial aspect of animals in patients’ mental health. Of 54 people with mental disorders, 25 consider their pets a key player in their social network.
9 Pressure and heart. Some studies demonstrate the effect of zoo therapy on blood pressure. Subjects who benefit from the presence of an animal have lower blood pressure, and their standard heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute.
10 Animals in hospitals. One study showed that after a hospital animal visit, participants generally felt calmer, more relaxed, and more optimistic. The authors conclude that animal therapy decreases nervousness and anxiety and improves the mood of a hospitalized patient.
More information: Therapy Dog.
