There is a powerful bond that exists between a dog and its owner. There is a reason that dogs are called man’s best friend, and for those working through difficult times a dog’s companionship can be crucial. You may be used to walking or playing frisbee with your dog, but doing something like yoga with your pup has even more benefits. Here are some activities you can do with your pet to heal from stressful life events.
Pair pet ownership with exercise to build your health during recovery
Pets provide powerful benefits to someone working through hard times. They provide unconditional love and acceptance and this is valuable when you are rebuilding your confidence and self-esteem. Research shows that dog owners typically exercise more than people without dogs, and exercise is key to improving your overall physical and mental health.
Exercising reduces stress and provides a healthy way to fill your time, so you don’t end up as a couch potato or abusing substances. Exercise also releases endorphins, the chemicals in your body that improve your mood and help you focus. Because it boosts your mood and cognitive function, exercising can help you fight the effects of depression and anxiety. If you’re struggling to get through difficult life events, exercising with your pet is a great way to recover.
Dog yoga can reduce your stress and build your connection to your canine
Having a dedicated workout companion can keep you motivated and there may be no better workout partner than a dog. Huffington Post suggests trying dog yoga, or “doga.” This builds the connection you have with your canine, and it can increase trust, reduce anxiety or hyperactivity, and alleviate stress for both you and your dog. There are even yoga mats made for pets.
Dog yoga techniques vary from instructor to instructor. There are doga classes available throughout the country, and some of them are quite dog-centered. Canines of any size can participate, but the moves you do with your dogs may vary depending on the size of your pup and what he or she is comfortable with. If you don’t have classes available near you, you can try it at home as well. There are also several other fun ways you can work out with your dog, like running, kayaking, and camping.
Focus on the present with meditation
Yoga isn’t the only physical activity that is known for providing strength during hard times. Meditation can also be quite helpful, and some say that you can even meditate with your dogs to bring calm and peace to both of you. The basic premise of meditating is that you focus on one specific thing and through this process you gain mental clarity and control over your emotions. Tiny Buddha explains that you can turn your life around with meditation.
The process of meditation helps you stay focused on the here and now instead of worrying about what might happen in the future or what happened in the past. Stress and anxiety levels drop, and most people find that they are better able to deal with pain thanks to meditating. You can start small with meditation and as you experience the benefits, you can try new methods and increase the time you spend on it.
Hit the water for a gentle exercise that builds up strength
If yoga and meditation aren’t your thing, try swimming to build your physical wellness and avoid a relapse. Swimming works for all skill and fitness levels and it is a gentle way to strengthen your body while progressing at your own pace. Being in the water tends to be soothing, which will help reduce your stress and anxiety levels so you’re better prepared to cope with the challenges you’re facing. If you’re swimming with your dog, you should train them to swim first and stick to places you know are safe. Some dogs won’t be cut out for swimming, and that’s ok!
Stress and anxiety can be significant problems for people trying to get through hard times in life. Exercise is a key component to building a new, healthy life and swimming, meditation, and yoga are activities that can provide powerful benefits. These activities work well to rebuild one’s mental and physical health, and if you are a dog owner, you may even want to try doing some dog yoga with your canine to amp up the experience and benefits.
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