Your pet is more than a friendly companion.
Yes, we love our four-legged (or not?) friends, enjoy playing and walking with them, and often talk to them. They are part of the family! But wait, there’s more:
Do you know that pets are also great doctors?
Numerous research studies show that your dog, cat, or even fish can help improve your physical and mental health.
For college students living on campus and overloaded with academic tasks, some of which they have to delegate to a research paper writing service to be on time with everything, it might be a problem to have a pet at home. Pet sitting can be a great alternative, as it allows spending time with pets and getting all the benefits from this activity for health and overall well-being.
Let’s see how pet sitting can help students reduce stress and maintain mental health.
Enhanced Physical Activity
Academic tasks, projects, and exams take time and make students sacrifice their physical activities. Let’s face it: When working on a lab report or writing an essay, it’s challenging to get away from work for an hour or so to go for a walk or exercise.
You have no choice but to do that when you’re a pet sitter, especially a dog sitter.
Students who look after pets will spend more time outside. Daily walks or runs with a dog increase physical activity, which releases endorphins and lowers cortisol (the stress hormone) and blood pressure.
What do we have as a result?
- Reduced stress and anxiety
- Improved mood
- More time outside for better health
Reduced Effects of Loneliness and Depression
Academic overload and pressure to succeed often lead students to burnout — a combination of stress and exhaustion. It’s not like mere fatigue after a busy week. It’s an adverse physical, mental, and emotional reaction resulting in frustration and inability to maintain the same motivation and productivity in school.
The symptoms include:
- Social disconnection
- Constant feeling of exhaustion
- Frequent illnesses due to stress that can turn into depression
And guess what?
Pet sitting can help handle this condition. Pets are a great source of comfort and motivation, providing a sense of purpose for those with depression. They promote the feeling of belongingness and serve as social support for those experiencing loneliness.
In other words, pet sitting can help students reduce frustration, get motivation, and build new social connections. Dogs, in particular, help build social capital, encouraging community engagement:
When you’re walking with a dog, people are more likely to stop and talk to you (especially those who are pet owners themselves). This is how you increase the network of acquaintances, which is also beneficial for stress management.
But not by dogs alone:
Sitting with other pets can also be a way to meet new people: Online groups for pet owners, training classes, and pet shops are a few options to consider.
Less Anxiety
A pet’s presence itself calms down nerves and eases anxiety. Studies show pet owners have lower blood pressure and heart rates while performing stressful mental tasks. Pet sitting is about spending much time with furry friends, so it has the same influence on health.
Playing with pets reduces stress-related hormones (cortisol) and raises serotonin and dopamine levels. Both are so-called “happy hormones” that calm and relax the nervous system.
Oxytocin also increases when you interact with a pet or see the dog you know and like. It positively impacts feelings of anxiety and stress.
Extra Income
Financial stress is a common concern for students, especially those adapting to college after high school. New responsibilities and adjustments take time and energy to realize and organize. Now, it’s not parents but you who manage finances, ranging from tuition fees to living expenses.
Pet sitting can be an option to ease financial worries and accept financial responsibility.
Of course, this side hustle won’t pay your student loan, but it is enough to help with your home utility bills. And who knows, maybe you’ll later turn it into a profitable pet-sitting business to give locals a reliable service. A successful pet sitter by that time, you’ll already have the necessary skills for that.
Overall Well-being
A survey of U.S. pet owners by HABRI (The Human Animal Bond Research Institute) says 74% of pet owners note that an animal at home has improved their mental health. It’s all about hormones again:
Even five minutes of interaction with an animal increases oxytocin levels in the brain, which combats the stress hormone cortisol and brings a sense of calm and focus.
Also, pets boost self-confidence:
They give you unconditional love and are great listeners who don’t criticize but silently support you. It helps, especially in the moments when you feel misunderstood or isolated. (That’s something students with academic burnout may relate to.)
Another benefit of pet sitting for college students:
It boosts time management skills like planning, organization, prioritization, and focus. You’ll need to feed, exercise, and care for a pet, which requires scheduling! It’s an excellent opportunity to structure your day and maintain a daily routine, agree?
If you suffer from imposter syndrome, pet sitting can become a superb activity to get a sense of achievement and relieve stress from doubting your skills and success.
In a Word
Pets make us happier. It’s a scientifically proven fact: Dogs reduce stress and anxiety, ease loneliness, encourage physical activities, and improve overall health. People with pets have lower blood pressure and fewer chances to develop heart disease. Playing with pets raises happy hormones (dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin) in the brain, lowering the one responsible for stress (cortisol).
If you love pets and want to be their friendly companion but don’t have an opportunity to give them a forever home, pet sitting is a great alternative to try. Spend quality time with other people’s pets: Feed them, play with them, take them for walks — and they will help you boost your mood and maintain mental health.
