The age gets closer and, when we least realize it, we reach the third age.
This phase of life can be marked by the appearance of some health problems, which are related to aging, such as cardiovascular diseases.
But all of this can also be a positive experience and much healthier and happier with their help, the pets.
According to a new study, done by the University of Michigan in the United States, pets are a good option, as they can contribute to the physical and mental health of their owners.
For the survey, participants answered questions about the benefits of having an animal, what impacts it has on routine and well-being, including mental and physical improvements. For example, walking the dog helps the owner to walk more.
Based on this, we decided to separate some data from the research so you can see how it can be useful both in the body and in the mind:
Contents
Physically active
The need to walk pets, especially dogs, whether for their physiological needs or just to spend energy, encourages the owner to walk too.
In the survey, almost 80% of dog owners guarantee that the animal helps to exercise.
Read more: Exercising body and mind can prevent diseases in aging
Reduces depression
Loneliness is a very common feeling in people who suffer from depression .
Therefore, the company of pets, in addition to not making their owners be alone, is also able to promote the meeting with other people who own pets or not, during the tour, for example.
The exchange of experiences and stories is important for the mind of the elderly, as they feel inserted in society and more active, which helps to reduce stress .
Through the research, it was possible to see that more than 60% of the people who participated feel that animals improve social life, decreasing the chances of depression, loneliness and social isolation.
Read more: Being sociable improves the quality of life for older people
Minimizes pain
All these physical and mental benefits result in a very interesting benefit: people with pets feel less pain.
This can occur due to affection and emotional well-being, or due to physical activities. Probably the two conditions together.
What matters is that about 34% of participants with animals reported feeling less pain.
Pets can be a good choice for healthy aging, says the study cited above. The presence of pets is important for well-being.
