Have you ever heard the  saying, “a dog is a man’s best friend”? Well,  there’s truth to this, in more ways  than one. Not only are dogs fun, but having a furry friend by your  side can benefit your heart as well! Today, we’re going to talk about some of the  ways having a dog makes you healthier. Do they help you stay active? Can they actually  lower your cholesterol? Hang on a second, can owning a dog actually lower your stress  levels? We’re talking all that AND more…

That’s right, having a dog can  lower your level of stress. Did you know that anxiety is the most common  mental illness in the United States? It affects 18% of the adult population  each year. That’s over 40 million people!

While anxiety is treatable, not every  method will work for you. A dog is just another thing you can try. Owning a pet can  do a lot for your mental health in general, but when it comes to anxiety, it  really helps. Studies show that just having your dog around allows  your stress hormones to decrease. This helps you feel relaxed not only when you’re  at home, but when you’re out of the house.

You see, a dog will lower your blood  pressure. People who own dogs are revealed to have naturally lower blood  pressure levels than people who don’t. There are a few reasons for this.