Daniel had just turned 26 and felt like he was in the top tier of society. He enjoyed his job, a wonderful family, and his best friends. But no need was good health. He had been suffering from chronic back pain for years and had tried every medical method, but nothing worked.
One day, Daniel heard about how animals can help humans. He researched the subject and was surprised to learn how animals can help people heal. He decided to try it out and adopted a small dog, which he loved. Initially, the dog was just a companion, but soon they became best friends. For Daniel, “Rocky”, his dog Cocker spaniel, has been a pain reliever.
Human health has been a part of animals for centuries. Research has found that animals reduce human stress and anxiety, lower blood pressure, increase self-esteem, and combat depression. People who spend time with pets also feel more relaxed and less isolated. Petting an animal reduces heart rate and cortisol levels, lowers stress, and improves well-being. Animals form a unique bond with their owners, and this bond directly affects their brains.
1 Zoo therapy. Pets also have valuable virtues for therapeutic purposes, the best-known technique of which is zoo therapy. The goal is to cure or improve the conditions of certain people who are ill or have psychic pathologies through contact with animals.
A dog, a cat, a horse, a goat, a hamster, or a rabbit can help calm down, control emotions, and gain self-confidence. Therefore, moments of joy with animals have a significant impact on our physical health and our brain.
2 Emotional effect. Petting an animal makes humans feel good. This feeling causes the release of oxytocin in our brains, which makes us happier. Please ensure the animal is friendly and enjoys petting.
3 Talk to the animal. While social contact between humans is good for mental health, it is also beneficial to have contact with animals, even if there is no verbal response. This exchange improves mental health by giving us another way to talk about our feelings.
4 Cheer up loneliness. Over half of all people aged 50 to 70 have a pet. The main benefit of a pet? Sharing can help you feel less lonely. Many older people are widowed or alone, far from their families. In this situation, having a faithful companion is a real presence for them, both sweet and precious.
Moreover, having a pet, especially a dog, promotes physical activity and stimulates the heart. All these physical activities allow older people to stay active, since dogs often need to be walked or encouraged by play.
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.
