Beyond the Cuddles: How Pets Boost Your Health and Happiness

Nation­al Pet Day is a time to cel­e­brate the fur­ry (or feath­ery, or scaled!) com­pan­ions who enrich our lives. But beyond the cud­dles and cute antics, pets offer a sur­pris­ing range of ben­e­fits for our phys­i­cal and men­tal health.

Our Quin­cy Med­ical Group Behav­ioral Health team shared some ways pets can be ben­e­fi­cial for your well-being:

• Health­i­er Heart and Body: Stud­ies show pet own­ers have low­er blood pres­sure and cho­les­terol, reduc­ing the risk of heart dis­ease. Plus, dai­ly walks and play­ing with your dog are a great way to sneak in extra phys­i­cal activ­i­ty espe­cial­ly when you have been sedentary.

• Com­fort­ing Com­pan­ions: Feel­ing over­whelmed? Pets aren’t just adorable addi­tions to our lives, they’re incred­i­ble sources of com­fort. Their uncon­di­tion­al love and play­ful nature pro­vide a wel­come dis­trac­tion from dai­ly worries.
• Com­bat­ing Lone­li­ness: Espe­cial­ly for old­er adults, pets offer invalu­able com­pan­ion­ship. Car­ing for a pet pro­vides a sense of pur­pose and rou­tine, reduc­ing feel­ings of iso­la­tion and loneliness.
• Active Lifestyle: Dog own­ers, in par­tic­u­lar, get a nat­ur­al boost in phys­i­cal activ­i­ty thanks to dai­ly walks and play­time. This trans­lates to a health­i­er weight and improved over­all fitness.
• Social Con­nec­tions: Pets can be a great way to meet new peo­ple! Strik­ing up con­ver­sa­tions with fel­low dog walk­ers or cat lovers in the park can lead to new friend­ships and a stronger social network.
• Struc­ture and Rou­tine: Pets thrive on a sched­ule, and that can rub off on their human com­pan­ions! Car­ing for a pet can add a sense of struc­ture and rou­tine to your day, which can be ben­e­fi­cial for peo­ple of all ages.