Everyone gets stressed. It could be a work issue, you might not be sleeping well, perhaps you’re worried about finances or your health or the state of the world. Whatever it is, in most cases, the stress is temporary; we find ways to deal with the issue, and we calm down and feel better. However, chronic stress – stress that doesn’t go away and lasts for a long time – is potentially very dangerous, and it will require an expert’s help.
Interestingly, though, if you’re trying to reduce your stress, it could be your dog that can help you. Although chronic stress is still a matter for a doctor, in general, everyday stress can certainly be reduced by being around your dog. Read on to find out how this works.
Lower Blood Pressure
If you’ve ever been told that stroking a dog – or, indeed, any other animal – can help to lower your blood pressure, you might be wondering if that is actually true. The fact is, stroking an animal really can lower your blood pressure, and since high blood pressure is a symptom of stress, you will feel calmer and happier when you’re doing it. Plus, it’s good for your physical and mental health. Even if you’re not stroking your dog, simply being near them can be enough to reduce your blood pressure, according to some studies.
So, if you have had a bad day at work, a frustrating conversation with a partner, or you’ve suffered some other kind of stressful event, take some time to be with your dog, and you’ll start to feel a lot better. Your mind will become clearer, and you’ll be able to come up with a solution.
Someone To Focus On
One of the reasons for people to feel stressed is that they keep remembering a stressful event. The mind keeps replaying it, and that means they can never quite reduce their stress levels, as they are constantly focused on the event that upset them.
When you have a dog, you have something else to focus on. Whether you’re playing with your pet, choosing the right food for them, installing a wireless dog fence, taking them for a walk, or simply being with them, as we mentioned above, you can focus on what you’re doing and forget about your worries. This will reduce your stress levels considerably.
Prevent Loneliness
People who experience loneliness often also experience stress because of it. As human beings, we are meant to be sociable creatures, and even those of us who prefer our own company most of the time will need companionship once in a while otherwise we will get sick – and become stressed.
So having a dog around you can combat this problem by eliminating your loneliness. Taking care of a dog means having someone there to talk to and do things with. It means you’ll never have to be at home by yourself. Although it’s still wise to seek out human company from time to time, having a dog will reduce your feelings of loneliness and the stress that goes with it.