How Pets Can Improve Your Health and Wellness

Date: 03/23/17

ST. LOUIS, MO (March 23, 2017) – Pet owners know that animals can bring joy and happiness to their lives, but many are unaware of the physical and mental health benefits that can also accompany the pleasure of playing with or snuggling up to a furry friend. The heath experts at Envolve, an integrated healthcare solutions company, are pleased to share how bringing a pet into your life can improve your physical and mental well-being.

  1. Find time to play. Exercise doesn’t have to involve boring repetition at a gym. Taking a dog for a walk, riding a horse, or simply chasing a kitten around the house are all fun ways to start or enhance a daily exercise regimen.

  2. Rely on a fuzzy friend. Isolation and loneliness can make disorders such as depression even worse. Caring for an animal can help make you feel needed and wanted, and take the focus away from your problems, especially if you live alone. Most pet owners talk to their pets, and some even use them to work through their troubles. Nothing beats loneliness like coming home to a wagging tail or purring cat.

  3. Meet new people. One of the great benefits of owning a pet is that they can be a great ice breaker for their owners. Dog owners frequently stop and talk to each other on walks or in a dog park. Pet owners also meet new people in pet stores, clubs and training classes.

  4. Reduce anxiety. Being in the company of an animal can offer comfort, help ease anxiety, and build self-confidence for people anxious about going out into the world.

  5. Add structure and routine to your day. Many pets, especially dogs, require a regular feeding and exercise schedule. Say what you will about sleeping in on the weekends, but one of the benefits of owning pets is that you're always on their schedule. No matter your mood —depressed, anxious, or stressed — you’ll always have to get out of bed to feed, exercise, and care for your pet. And your pet is most likely to put a smile on your face.

  6. Provide sensory stress relief. Touch and movement are two healthy ways to quickly manage stress. It doesn’t have to be a pricey massage – simply petting a cat, taking a dog for a walk or riding a horse can help alleviate stress and put you in a better state of mind.

About Envolve, Inc.®

Envolve, Inc.® is a family of health solutions, working together to make healthcare simpler, more effective and more accessible for everyone. As an agent for change in healthcare, Envolve is committed to transforming the health of the community, one person at a time. Envolve unifies specialty pharmacyPBMvisiondental24/7 nurse advice servicesdiabetes managementMSO solutions, and more. For more information, please visit our website www.envolvehealth.com or contact us at mediainquiries@envolvehealth.com.