By Dr. Mindi Miller-Jentes
Every morning Rebecca is greeted by her soft and furry cocker spaniel licking her face to rouse her to consciousness. Clearly her pup is not going to let her roll over and nod back off to dreamland.
Despite her desire for a few more winks, she crawls out of bed, slips on her robe and slippers and proceeds towards the back door to let Shelby out for her morning routine. As Rebecca steps out onto her back porch she is greeted by a quiet rainbow of colors painting the sky in a morning sunrise salutation.
Taking in a few deep and slow breaths while gazing upon the glory of the sun from her porch swing, Rebecca begins the day in front of her with peace and joy in her heart, which somehow seems to ease the pain in her hips and knees.
After sprinting around the yard and chasing a squirrel back up a tree, Shelby, now satisfied with her morning conquests, is ready to sit at Rebecca’s feet to catch her breath while she too enjoys the sunrise. Still sleepy-eyed, Rebecca enjoys these quiet moments communing with Creator alongside Shelby each morning.
Something about Shelby has changed Rebecca. While the grieving process from the loss of her husband has naturally been painful, adopting Shelby from the local pet rescue has made a tremendous difference in her health– mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. She is sleeping better, better able to cope with her grief, physical pain seems less bothersome and she feels more balanced in general.
Rebecca’s story is not uncommon. For many pet owners, we notice the positive effects our little fur balls have on us. But exactly how does this happen? What’s happening inside our bodies that we can’t see to make us feel better?
Spending time with and cuddling our pet plays a pivotal role in the health of our central nervous system. Studies have shown it improves our mental health, relationships, brain chemistry and overall health. By stimulating the production of neurotransmitters, our pets not only help to support our mental and emotional health, but also how we sense and perceive physical pain.
Neurotransmitters are chemicals produced in the brain that transmit signals to muscles and glands. They regulate the function of the brain and communicate with each other to coordinate complex brain activities. In other words, they regulate your mood, sleep, movement, learning and memory.
Spending time with our pet, particularly activities like petting, cuddling, or even just making eye contact, stimulates the production of neurotransmitters like oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin in the brain. These neurotransmitters are associated with feelings of happiness, bonding, relaxation and overall well-being; essentially acting as a natural mood booster.
Multiple studies have shown that spending time with our pets releases oxytocin, a neurotransmitter linked to bonding, love and affection. Research has shown dog owners experience a 6 percent boost in oxytocin after interacting with their dog.
Oxytocin has a plethora of physiological benefits. It slows down our heart rate, lowers our blood pressure, and reduces the production of the stress hormone cortisol. It’s associated with building trust and feeling safe. This is why cuddling with a pet calms us down.
Interactions with pets also boost levels of endorphins and dopamine. Endorphins bind to opioid receptors, lowering stress and decreasing pain. Endorphins also increase the level of dopamine in our brain by the production of the neurotransmitter gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that aids in regulating anxiety, sleep, muscle tone and other functions.
By dampening the production of GABA, our brain is able to release more dopamine. The combined effect reduces pain by blocking the pain impulse in the brain, thereby diminishing our need for NSAIDS or other pain medications. Dopamine is a “feel good” neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and it elevates motivation, boosts energy and heightens our focus.
In all, cuddling with pets has a profound impact on the neurotransmitters in our brain, enhancing and improving our overall well-being.
In our world of high stress and quick fixes, we would be well served to slow things down a little and spend time cuddling and observing our pets. These actions provide non-verbal communication and sensory input that can promote the health of our brain.
