Are you looking for an effective away to enhance your relationship with your spouse or partner? Then maybe it’s time you considered keeping a pet. According to studies conducted by two American universities, couples who keep pets tend to have closer relationships and respond better to stress compared to couples who don’t.

One study followed 100 couples, 50 who owned a cat or a dog and 50 who did not keep any pet. Measures of heart rate and blood pressure taken during a situation known to be a source of conflict between spouses showed that systolic blood pressure readings of couples with pets were lower at baseline, went up less in response to stress and returned to baseline quicker than in couples without pets.

PETTING IS GOOD FOR YOU

The study established that petting an animal or even just watching fish in an aquarium resulted in low blood pressure among couples.

“There was something in the relationship between couples and the pets that enhanced social interaction”, said Karen Allen, a lead researcher with the American Heart Association.

OWNING A PET IMPROVES RELATIONSHIP

According to a second study published in Psych-Central Magazine, it was established that couples who own pets improved their relationships by focusing on how they interacted with them.

“Although couples will vehemently disagree and differ on numerous topics, they will usually both soften in manner and tone to agree that the house pet is great”, said Dr Suzanne B. Philips, a researcher and clinical psychologist at Long Island University.

MORE BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH PETS

Generally pets are believed to provide unconditional love and devotion besides providing many therapeutic benefits like reduce stress, easing loneliness and playfulness among others. It’s believed that you can swiftly be consoled out of a stressful situation by just stroking, holding or cuddling your hairy pet.

Apparently pet owners are less likely to suffer from depression than those without pets and heart attack patients with pets survive longer than those without.

Maybe it’s time some to invested in a pet. But remember, little animals grow up, they make a mess, they have to be looked after when you are on holiday, they have to be fed every day, and then there are the vets bills! So think carefully before you invest in that cute little kitten or puppy.