by Penne Cole

Created on: October 03, 2009   Last Updated: July 30, 2010

Thinking of getting a pet? Getting one may be more an issue of need rather than want. Several studies have linked pet ownership with health benefits like reduced stress levels and lowered rates of heart attacks as well as an increased sense of well being. With Purdue University scientist Dr. Alan Beck likening the calming effects of owning a pet to eating chocolate, the real question is, can you afford not to have one?

Pets reduce stress, anxiety, and blood pressure

If your stress levels are through the roof, you might want to consider getting a pet. Research from the University of Missouri-Columbia suggests that spending fifteen to thirty minutes stroking a pet will lower your blood pressure by about ten percent. The petting also releases "feel good" hormones, including serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin. The study, which tracked 100 dog owners and non-dog owners showed that serotonin levels increased after petting the human's own dog, but not when interacting with unfamiliar animals or robotic dogs. This led Purdue University's Dr. Alan Beck to suggest that the calming effect from stroking pets may have a psychological mechanism similar to eating chocolate.

The research also showed reductions in the level of the human stress hormone, cortisol, after petting an animal. High cortisol levels are also responsible for carbohydrate cravings, so having a pet may even help you to lose weight.

This calming effect is not limited to petting dogs or other furry, cuddly animals. Researchers have also noted the same effect when interacting with different species, including a pet boa constrictor. Other studies have shown that even watching fish in an aquarium at the dentist's office can be as relaxing as hypnosis during dental surgery.

Pets prevent heart attacks

A study conducted by the Baker Medical Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia, found that pet owners have significantly lower risk factors for cardiovascular diseases than those who do not own a pet. In a study that followed 784 pet owners and 4957 non-owners, results showed that systolic blood pressure and plasma triglycerides or fatty cells in the blood are significantly lower in pet owners. This result could not be explained by the participants' socioeconomic profile, smoking habits, or body mass index. Researchers suggest that the lower risk factors could be due to higher levels of exercise reported by the pet owners.

Pets lower heart attack mortality rates

If you have already had a heart attack, owning a

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