How pets may help students to avoid their stress

Millions of households worldwide have pets. Petting or playing with dogs, cats, and other animals or watching pets like goldfish has been proven to improve human health, reduce boredom, and build a happy home. But can students benefit from pets? Do they influence individuals’ stress levels? Read on to find out more.

Keeping pets influences students' lives in numerous ways. A pet can be your friend, source of inspiration, and company. The best time to bond with your “little friend” is during playtime or as you exercise. If you like pets, you must have a well-defined learning routine or schedule and create time for personal studies, grooming, and leisure. Some individuals might not imagine that keeping pets and seeking professional homework help from essay writers can contribute to better academic performance. However, these are excellent approaches to avoiding stress, improving your psychological health, and balancing school work and personal life.

Here are five ways a pet can help you alleviate stress

Having a pet provides a sense of fulfilment and offers companionship

Loneliness can lead to stress, especially if you live alone or it's your first time living away from home. However, keeping a pet can help you avoid boredom and create a bond that will eventually bring a sense of accomplishment, happiness, and goodwill. Individuals who have raised pets from a tender age attest that there is nothing as satisfying as nurturing an animal as it grows daily and knowing its existence solely depends on you. In addition, touching, hearing, or seeing a pet brings joy and contentment.

Pets encourage students to be more active

School life can be boring, especially if you aren't social, lack enough time for leisure, or don't engage in sporting activities like athletics and other competitions. However, you don't have to force yourself to join other gamers to improve your physical and mental health. Keeping a pet can be an excellent alternative; pets like dogs give their owners a solid reason to go for morning or evening walks, which helps them become more active. Cats are among the most playful animals, thus ideal for loners who prefer indoor recreational activities. Apart from improving your physical and mental health, they provide support and improve your mood.

Pets create a sense of purpose and enhance productivity

Pets can help students become more productive after a long day in school. Having a pet creates a sense of purpose and helps you relax, reducing school-related stress. In addition, after spending some time with your pet, you'll likely feel rejuvenated and be more attentive in class or when doing personal studies.

Pets reduce anxiety through their playful interactions

Keeping pets can help you avoid anxiety and reduce stress levels. Recent research indicates that watching pets like guppy fish and goldfish regulates blood pressure. In addition, it regulates the heart’s rate, thus controlling anxiety. Students feeling anxious about examinations, continuous assessment tests, and starting school in a new environment can reduce anxiety and spare some time to interact with their pets to make life more fun and avoid anxiousness.

Pets offer comfort and love

Nothing beats the unconditional love offered by pets. A pet can be your loyal friend and offer comfort during challenging times and stressful moments. Unlike humans, a pet can shower you with excitement and instantly rejuvenate your energy without too many questions and talking. A dog's or cat’s kiss, cuddle, or wagging tail is just enough to uplift your spirit.

Things to consider before keeping a pet

Keeping a pet can be a good idea for students facing mental health challenges. But should you just take an animal without the basic information about managing it or what taking care of a pet entails? Well, as much as having a pet can be exciting, you should ask yourself the following factors before deciding which animal to keep:

Do you have enough space to raise a pet?

Keeping pets like Akita, Bloodhound, Saint Bernard Komondor, and other large dog breeds can be challenging or impossible if you live in college hostels. Similarly, raising an active pet can be daunting if you have roommates. Apart from being a nuisance, pets may sometimes be creepy, overly playful, and destructive. Therefore, you should consider taking a pet that can fit in your house and have enough space to accommodate it. Some apartments or hostels have regulations allowing individuals to keep small pets such as fish, guinea pigs, bunny rabbits, and cats, while others forbid tenants from keeping animals. So, you should familiarize yourself with the rules and inform your roommate about your plans to ensure they are comfortable with your decision.

Do you have allergies?

Exposure to pets such as cats and dogs can lead to allergies and asthma; some individuals develop allergic reactions to fur and certain animals. Therefore, you should know your health condition to avoid more harmful outcomes than benefits.

Here are 5 precautionary measures to reduce your risk of getting sick from pets

Always wash your hands with soap and water after touching or playing with your pet.
Ensure your pet is clean and vaccinated according to the vaccination schedule.
Avoid sharing utensils with your pet, no matter how healthy you consider it.
Change litter boxes regularly.

Final thought

The secret to improving your academic performance and quality of life in high school or college is identifying activities to improve your mental health. If you're a college student living in a rented apartment, at home, or in a spacious room, finding a pet can be a good approach to help you avoid loneliness and adapt to a new lifestyle. Apart from allowing you to adapt to school life, pets can reduce boredom and improve your psychological well-being. Nonetheless, you should remember that while having a pet brings numerous benefits, not all animals may work for you. Therefore, it's crucial to gauge your ability to raise a pet and ascertain if you have all the necessary resources and space.