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|Articles|January 13, 2010

Cats may be a cure for seasonal affective disorder

Try snuggling up to your favorite feline on these cold winter days.

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People who suffer from seasonal affective disorder—or its appropriate acronym, SAD—feel depressed and tired during the winter, likely because of shorter days with less sunlight. According to an article by Canadian columnist W. Gifford-Jones, MD, cats may be the cure.

Every January and February for five years, psychologist June Nicholas in Haywards Heath, England, evaluated people for symptoms of SAD, comparing those who owned cats with those who didn’t.

A beneficial effect was indeed seen in cat owners: They had 60 percent fewer headaches, their chance of catching a cold or the flu was decreased by 21 percent, and they experienced fewer instances of insomnia, impatience, and tension. Men under 40 years of age experienced the greatest benefit from owning a cat.

Yet another reason to tell your clients how good our pets are for us.

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