5 Health Benefits of Volunteering at an Animal Rescue
A Healthier Michigan
| 2 min read
The joy and affection that animals bring can cheer you up, calm you down, and keep your attention focused on the moment. Not everyone can have a pet at home, and even if you do, you may find benefits of volunteering at an animal shelter. It can be a rewarding experience!
But while you're giving back you are also providing a boost to your own mental health, as volunteering at an animal rescue produces positive outcomes. Here's a breakdown.
1. Time spent around pets can improve mental health and lower stress.
Interacting with animals and pets can decrease cortisol levels and stress. Time spent with animals can lower loneliness and boost your mood, according to the National Institute of Health.
2. Time spent with animals can improve cardiovascular health.
Animal companionship can lower blood pressure, blood sugar, and cortisol levels. Time spent with animals also lowers psychological and physical stress. Higher levels of time spent with pets are also correlated with lower levels of cardiovascular diseases, which has to do with the decreased stress levels reported from spending time with animals.
3. There are mental health benefits associated with volunteering.
Volunteering in general can affect your mood and mental health in positive ways by:
- Reducing stress
- Increasing happiness
- Boosting confidence
- Helping provide a sense of self and purpose
It's an activity that can help you find strengths or unique skills you may not have known you had, while building a social network of support.
4. There are benefits to social wellness and overall well-being.
Volunteering can boost your overall health, as well. Volunteering can help alleviate chronic stress, which is a risk factor for many diseases and health problems.
A 2020 study found that those studied who volunteered 100 hours a year or more had a reduced risk of death than those who did not, over a four-year period. Volunteering can also result in increased physical activity and lowered reports of loneliness, according to the American Heart Association.
5. Time with animals can be effective for building focus and emotional awareness for children.
Pets or time with animals can be effective for building social and emotional maturity and help to build focus for kids. Emotional and social benefits from spending time with animals are being studied for kids with autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to the NIH. Spending time with animals can help children to learn social play and emotional awareness.
Keep reading:
