Some days turn out to be tiring. You feel exhausted and want to come home. You reach home after getting through the traffic and the hustle-bustle. You take out the keychain to unlock the door. You’re greeted with a scratching sound on the floor and the mat. The moment you step through the door, you’re showered with affection. Your trusted companion knows that you are home and is eager to get all up in your business!
Dogs have always been our friends, a source of joy, of happiness, compassion, and affection. They are expressive and tend to form strong bonds with you and your family. However, they are more than that — the joy that they have in store for us even helps improve our health by keeping our health problems in check.
An increased lifespan
A study published in the journal Scientific Reports, conducted by the Uppsala University in Sweden, looked at the health records of 3.4 million residents. It found that people who owned a dog had increased lifespans. Past studies have already shown that dogs reduce anxiety and depression and help you sleep better while encouraging more exercise and an active lifestyle.
The study, which was conducted on adults aged between 40 to 80 years with a mean age of 57 years, also revealed that people who owned dogs had positive indicators for health. It was also found that people who owned dogs were 33% less likely to die early than those who did not.
The exact correlation between a longer life and dogs, however, could not be revealed. Researchers found out that people who had dogs had to do more activities, such as taking them out for walks, brushing their hair, cleaning them and taking care of them. Besides, other psychological impacts of owning a dog, such as a reduced rate of depression, could have affected the overall health of the individuals.
Dogs can be cancer detectors
Dogs can be lifesavers! If trained, they can detect the cancer cells in your body, and they will express this by licking or sniffing the cancer moles in your bodies. Such evidence has been backed up by scientific studies in the past, where dogs have helped in detecting cancer cells.
Other benefits
Several other benefits come with owning a dog. It has been found that having a dog leads to better heart health. Just the act of petting a pooch leads to lowered blood pressure. In 2017, a Chinese study found links between reduced risk of coronary artery disease and owning dogs.
Other stories in the past have shown that pet owners have a lower chance of developing cholesterol and have more chances of avoiding a heart attack.
One of the most exciting aspects of having a dog is that you have more of a social life. People like spending time with your dog, so you have more joyous people around you, which in turn leads to a more balanced network. You get to know more people. Studies in the past have confirmed that owning a dog has helped spark new relationships — often supportive ones.
If you have a house with dogs, then there will be more love and compassion, something which your children will observe and build their values on. Dogs may also help children understand and regulate their emotions since dogs react to attachment-related behavior in people. They can be good friends with toddlers and even help you take care of them if you have trained them well for it. Although dogs may trigger certain kinds of allergies, children who grow up in a house with dogs are less likely to develop certain kinds of allergies throughout their lives.
Dogs are so much fun to be around with. They laugh, play and bring joy to us in several forms. They are quite perfect for all-round better health, keeping your blood pressure in check, reducing depression and warding off our health problems. On top of that, you get to a companion who’ll always be on your side and love you in ways that they will so fondly express. They bring in us a certain sense of responsibility that builds our personality and helps us focus on the brighter aspects of life.
If you don’t have a furry friend yet, you should consider getting one to keep critical illnesses like CVD at bay. Another step you can take now to ensure you get to lead a worry-free life is to get critical illness insurance. This ensures that you and your loved ones are taken care of in the event that you get diagnosed with a critical illness. So, what are you waiting for? Go tick off both boxes and get started on living that stress-free life!
References
http://mentalfloss.com/article/51153/10-benefits-being-dog-owner
http://mentalfloss.com/article/516479/owning-dog-may-add-years-your-life-study-shows
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