I think most college students joke about getting a dog at some point. But after talking to parents and reality, we forget about it. Interestingly, the connection that comes with dog ownership can impact your physiology. Cardiovascular disease is extremely common in the United States, killing one person every 34 seconds. It turns out that the relationship created through the ownership of a dog leads to the release of the hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin interacts with the HPA axis and aids in the reduction of the body’s cortisol levels. In addition to the reduction of cortisol, dogs have been documented in the aid of reducing blood pressure or assisting people who already have high blood pressure. Another cardiovascular benefit to the ownership of a dog results in lower resting heart rates and lower levels of cholesterol. The connection between cardiovascular physiology and dogs is clear.
The indirect impact on the physiological cardiovascular health is also found in dog ownership such as physical health and connection. The needed exercise that comes with dogs encourages stress relief and heart health. The connection that comes from dog owners interacting reduces time isolated which has been shown to increase risks of heart attacks. So when life seems overly stressful, get a dog. :)
Sources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, October 14). Heart disease facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm#:~:text=Heart%20disease%20is%20the%20leading,groups%20in%20the%20United%20States.&text=One%20person%20dies%20every%2034,United%20States%20from%20cardiovascular%20disease.
Corliss, J. (2022, December 1). The heartfelt benefits of pet ownership. Harvard Health. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/the-heartfelt-benefits-of-pet-ownership
The friend who keeps you young. The Friend Who Keeps You Young | Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2021, September 22). Retrieved from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-friend-who-keeps-you-young
The presence of animals, especially dogs, have also been found to reduce social stress and anxiety in adults, as well as decreasing skin conductance arousal in children with autism. When being in a social situations with peers and friends, children that are on the spectrum for autism have shown a high physiological arousal rate, meaning that their emotion and anxiety are heightened, which might trigger breaks down and great distresses. However, the number of skin conductance, which indicate the arousal levels, decreased significantly (43%) in ASD children when there are animals around them.
ReplyDeletehttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25913902/
It's kind of crazy that these animals have these calming effects on our physiology resulting in altered and improved behavior. It does not surprise me that children with ASD benefit from the presence of animals. Thanks for the response!
DeleteThis is super interesting! They do say dogs are man's best friends and it seems that there is more of a benefit other then companionship. Have researchers done research with other animals? I myself have a cat who is an ESA and he helps with my overall well being. I also knew someone who had a hamster as an ESA. Do you think this is true for all animals that are domesticated or just dogs specifically?
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know the most researched animals go, I know there are benefits from both dogs and cats. As I am a dog person (with 2 at home), I know more about the benefits that come from them. As for the hamster, I am curious if the body still released oxytocin? I think a lot of the physiological response begins there so if there is no release I would say no? I could be wrong, would be interesting to look into!
DeleteI have never thought about the impact of owning a dog on a physiological level. It's interesting to see how it can be beneficial, especially for cardiovascular health. In a review from Gee et al., they also correlated owning a dog to benefiting our mental health and cognitive function. Just another reason to love my dog!
ReplyDeleteGee NR, Rodriguez KE, Fine AH, Trammell JP. Dogs Supporting Human Health and Well-Being: A Biopsychosocial Approach. Front Vet Sci. 2021 Mar 30;8:630465. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.630465. PMID: 33860004; PMCID: PMC8042315.
I have a dog myself and have noticed that I feel more relaxed and not so stressed when I play with him and even when he's just sitting in the same room as me. Having read your article, it makes a lot more sense why i've heard "people with pets are happier and live longer". It also makes me think about service animals. These dogs or pets in general are sort of the relaxing tool for people with disabilities that own service animals. These animals have the ability to bring us back to a relaxed state and even improve our health long-term. I have also heard about extremely active dog breeds like the Belgian Malinois so could these do the opposite and perhaps cause stress and worsen health? Interesting to think about.
ReplyDelete