Have you given love to your pet today?
All pets, even those not considered as traditionally affectionate (like fish or reptiles) provide you with a lot of emotional benefits. Pets are masters at helping you manage your stress before your stress manages you just by their very existence. By helping you feel better and more positive daily. Read on for 5 ways that having pets will help reduce your stress.
You Get Regular Exercise From Walking That Walk
Of course, this is usually connected to having a dog, but there are plenty of other pets that can get you some exercise. As you know when you have a dog, at a minimum you should take it outside for at least one long walk every day (but two long walks are better).
Those walks help maintain your overall fitness levels, which can help reduce stress. Exercise gets your blood flowing and your heart pumping which releases endorphins, which are the 😊 chemicals in your brain. This is why you suddenly feel so much better after a good power walk or run.
If you don’t have a dog, don’t despair, cats or rabbits can also be taken on walks or played with outside in your yard or park. And push come to shove in the case of bad weather or lack of outdoor space, you can play with them indoors and still get more exercise than you otherwise would have gotten.
They’re Champion Companions
Having a pet will allow you have the level of companionship that you desire. You can get a more touchie feely pet (like a dog) if you want more companionship or you can get a fish if you don’t want that level of company.
Living alone can sometimes be hard on the psyche. Even people who prefer solitude or who tend to keep to themselves can still get lonely from time to time. With a pet, you have constant companionship from a pet who’s always there for you. As I stated earlier, different pets will offer different levels of companionship, it’s about finding out the type of pet that fits your personality and lifestyle.
You Practice Responsibility
With a pet comes responsibility. After all, you’re giving them a home and love which in the long run, can help with your stress management by lowering your stress levels.
How?
Because life is so busy and many people are working from home, it’s harder to have clearly defined boundaries related to work life balance. Maybe you’re going through a difficult time focusing on yourself, your work or your relationship or something else to a degree that you’re stressed out or overwhelmed due to rumination. If you have a pet, that pet depends on you to make sure that they’re living their best life. In taking care of your pet, you will have less time for focusing on whatever is stressing you out being the responsible pet parent that you are.
Two Words - Unconditional Love
Pets = love. The love that you give to your pet and the love that your pet in turn gives to you. Especially now with being socially distanced and isolated, there are many people who are experiencing emotional stress such as loneliness. Pets don’t judge they provide acceptance and unconditional love. Your pet loves you for who you are and for the treats you give. 😊 They don’t care about who you might be tomorrow, they care about who you are right now.
They’re Soothing
There’s nothing better than being able to spend time with your pet when you’ve had a hard day. Just by their very existence your world is made better 110%.
If you’re like me and you have fish, there’s nothing better than watching them swim around and play and just live their life. And even though I can’t pet them, they make me smile because they recognize me and give a little extra swish of the tail when I’m around. And their colors make them soothing to watch.
Dogs, cats and other mammals can sense when you’re feeling down and can soothe you by being there to give you a heartfelt nuzzle. Being able to pet them and feel their heartbeat can help you slow down your heartbeat to match, thereby lessening any stress you may feel.
So there you have it, five different ways that your pets can help you engage in a bit more self-care by managing your stress. It’s all about making time.
Let’s talk, how do your pets help you manage your stress? Let me know in the comments section.
Cassandra Martin-Himmons is a trainer, wellness coach and consultant who believes in empowering her clients and providing the tools that they need to make positive changes in their lives to manage their stress and increase their self-care. In her spare time, she enjoys papercrafting, volunteering and travel. Connect with her on Instagram or Linked/In