The Surprising Health & Longevity Benefits of Pet Ownership
Animal companions help their owners live longer, happier lives.
by Nancy Walecki
Harvard Magazine’s staff pets, from left: Chloe, Norman, Tildy, Puka, Ollie, Bee Gee
Montage by Niko Yaitanes/Harvard Magazine; Photographs courtesy of: Max Krupnick, Lydialyle Gibson, Jonathan Shaw, Abby Shepard, Niko Yaitanes, Lindsay Mitchell
Today is National Pet Day, and pet owners have another reason to celebrate: their pets are helping them live healthier, longer lives. Harvard Medical School clinical assistant professor Beth Frates cites the American Heart Association's finding that owning a pet reduces a person's mortality rate by 24 percent.
In a talk at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Frates and Megan Mueller, associate professor of human-animal interaction at Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, discussed the profound health benefits of being around companion animals, whether you own one or not.
From lowering blood pressure to assisting in clinical mental health settings, pets offer a multitude of ways to improve our well-being.
Key Health Benefits of Pet Companionship:
Exercise: Dog owners, in particular, are more likely to meet the medically recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. This increased activity leads to lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides. Even the effort to help an obese pet reach a healthy weight encourages owners to take more walks, benefiting both human and animal. While dogs are often the focus due to their exercise needs, other activities like horseback riding and performing exercises like push-ups also provide full-body workouts.
Social Connection: Pets act as natural conversation starters, reducing loneliness and fostering social connections. Frates notes that dog-owning Harvard tutors often have the most highly attended study breaks, demonstrating how animals can bring people together. Strong social connections are a critical predictor of good health, even into old age, as evidenced by the Harvard Study of Adult Development.
Stress Resiliency: Interacting with pets—petting, playing, or even making eye contact—releases oxytocin in the brain, lowering stress levels. This interaction also benefits the pet, providing them with an oxytocin boost. Pets enhance stress resiliency by encouraging owners to get outdoors, visit parks, and meet new people, fostering a sense of connection that helps mitigate stress.
Improved Sleep: Regular exercise associated with pet care, such as walking a dog or playing with pets, can improve sleep quality. However, it's important to note that sharing a bed with pets may lead to interrupted sleep, and aiming for seven to nine uninterrupted hours is crucial for overall health.
Mental Health Boost: Spending time in nature is recommended for lowering blood pressure and stress, and this can often be achieved through activities with pets. Even observing pet fish can lower blood pressure. For those experiencing loss, pets can instill a sense of purpose, routine, and responsibility, providing a driving force to start the day.
Nutrition Habits: The routine of feeding a pet on a schedule can encourage owners to adopt their own healthier eating schedules, leading to better food choices. While research is ongoing, anecdotally, people are increasingly preparing nutritious and delicious meals for their pets, which may positively influence their own dietary habits.
Avoiding Risky Substances: For some, particularly those experiencing homelessness, caring for a pet can be a powerful deterrent against substance abuse, providing a reason to live and stay sober. Pet ownership can also incentivize individuals to quit smoking, similar to how parents might quit to protect their children from secondhand smoke.
Therapeutic Benefits: Beyond traditional therapy animals like dogs and cats, a variety of animals, including rabbits, birds, llamas, and guinea pigs, are used in therapeutic settings. These animals can help patients practice mindfulness, build trust, and develop physical strength and confidence. Equine therapy, for instance, has shown remarkable results in helping children with special needs improve their physical and mental well-being.
"It’s powerful to hear the stories, it’s powerful to read the research. But I think the most powerful thing is the experience of actually being with animals," Frates concludes. The event itself celebrated this connection, offering attendees a "pet play date" with therapy animals.