Effects of Pet Ownership on Stress and Sleep Quality Among Working Professionals in Chennai: A Cross-Sectional Study

Pets have been seen as good companions to human beings since the eons. The rapid growth in science and technology has made the working population more prone to stress and related disorders. This study aimed to assess the effects of pet rearing on stress and sleep among the working population in Chennai. This cross-sectional study included 210 working adult professionals with Indian government-approved pets (103) and without pets (107). The study population comprised 74 males and 136 females. The demographic details and pet activities of the participants were assessed using a general questionnaire. Subjective assessment of stress was performed using the Perceived Stress Scale and objectively using heart rate variability. Sleep Quality was assessed using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Both pet and non-pet owners were identical in demographic details and showed moderate stress, as assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale. Pet owners had reduced stress levels objectively (P <0.001), and sex-wise male pet owners had lower low-frequency and high-frequency heartbeat ratios (P <0.001), indicating lower stress than females. Pet owners were also found to have better quality of sleep than their counterparts (P = 0.006). The current study showed that pet rearing is associated with reduced stress and improved sleep quality among the working population in Chennai.