Physical and Mental Health Benefits of Pet Ownership

It’s pretty obvious that at Nitro Pet Express, we’re big fans of owning a pet. In fact, one of our favorite parts of our work is getting to see the happiness people experience when we deliver their furry friends. We all know that animals can bring a lot of happiness, but have you ever thought about some of the other benefits of owning a pet? Read below for some of the top perks of owning a pet.

Improved Mood

For many, simply being around a cat or dog can bring about feelings of happiness, decreased stress and anxiety, and overall better mental well-being. Several studies have been conducted that provide research that shows that pet owners experience higher levels of happiness, confidence, and lower levels of anxiety. Overall, pet owners tend to experience more happiness day to day.

Increased Physical Activity

It’s no secret that our furry friends, especially dogs, love their time to walk, run, jump, and explore. How can this benefit us as pet owners? Well, owning a pet has actually been shown to increase daily physical activity levels. Pets can provide us with more incentive to be physically active and help us meet exercise goals more easily.

Coping with Loneliness

Our furry friends are some of our greatest companions. Did you know that owning a pet, though, has been proven to decrease loneliness? This may not seem like a substantial benefit, but when you think of some of the negative effects loneliness can cause, like depression and decreased cognitive functioning, our pets’ ability to keep us company is actually a great perk to pet ownership.

Increased Self-Esteem

Need a confidence pick me up? Research has shown that cat and dog owners actually have greater levels of self-esteem! Why is this? Well, it likely has to do with the level of unconditional love we receive from our pets. While some research indicates that individuals with higher levels of confidence may be more likely to adopt pets anyway, there is still research that shows that pet ownership can further increase levels of self-esteem. Some studies have shown that pet owners may actually be able to cope with rejection easier than those who do not own a pet. There is also the increased sense of purpose many pet owners feel, as they feel the purpose and drive to take care of and love their pet, and this can lead to increased self-esteem. Individuals also tend to have more social interactions and increased friendships when they own a pet, which can also help improve self-esteem. Whatever the reason, owning a cat or dog will likely increase your confidence.

What’s your favorite part of owning your pet? Let us know in the comments below. We’d love to hear what your have to say!