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Why Having a Pet Can Boost Your Mood and Keep Your Brain Healthy - Cleveland Clinic
Understanding how animals contribute to good health
Therapy animals have long been the trusted companions of people with disabilities. Now, animals of all kinds are proving their value to individuals dealing with a wide range of mental health conditions, including depression and even dementia.
Physiology helps explain why animals are such effective therapists for all of us, says Marwan Sabbagh, MD, Director of Cleveland Clinic’s Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health: “Simply petting an animal can decrease the level of the stress hormone cortisol and boost release of the neurotransmitter serotonin, resulting in lowered blood pressure and heart rate and, possibly, in elevated mood.”
Understanding how animals contribute to good health
Therapy animals have long been the trusted companions of people with disabilities. Now, animals of all kinds are proving their value to individuals dealing with a wide range of mental health conditions, including depression and even dementia.
Physiology helps explain why animals are such effective therapists for all of us, says Marwan Sabbagh, MD, Director of Cleveland Clinic’s Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health: “Simply petting an animal can decrease the level of the stress hormone cortisol and boost release of the neurotransmitter serotonin, resulting in lowered blood pressure and heart rate and, possibly, in elevated mood.”