For a good night’s sleep, let the dog snuggle up to you: Pets in your bedroom make people feel safer and secure leading to better rest
Animal lovers have been warned for years that having a pet in the bedroom may affect their sleep.
Dogs and cats snore, fidget, wake up early and take up space.
So the latest research might sound counter-intuitive – but a leading clinic in the US now says people who cuddle a dog or cat at night actually sleep better.
Scientists have found people who sleep with their pets actually sleep better because they feel safer and more secure. Pictured: Sir Nigel Hawthorne with pet dog Seamus in a charity Christmas card photo (file picture)
Pughs cartoon illustrating the benefits of letting pets sleep in bed with you
Researchers surveyed 150 patients, 49 per cent of whom owned animals, about their sleep habits and their pets.
They found those who slept with their pet in the room, or even on the bed, felt more safe and secure and thus had a better nights rest.
The Mayo Sleep Clinic in Arizona found more than half of those with animals allowed them to sleep in the bedroom or on the bed.
Twenty per cent of pet owners said they had sleep interrupted by whimpering, snoring or wandering
And while 20 per cent of pet owners did complain of interrupted sleep because of wandering, snoring and whimpering, a greater number said having their pet in the bedroom didnt cause any problems – and many said it was an advantage.
They said having their pet on the bed or bedroom relaxed them and made them feel secure.
Those who sleep alone felt more secure and reported they slept extremely well with their cat or dog under the covers with them.
One 64-year-old woman commented that she felt more content when her small dog slept under the covers near her feet, said study author Lois Krahn.
A recent study of 23,000 dog owners found that more that half people let their pets sleep on their beds. Pictured: Journalist Melissa Kite in bed with cocker spaniel Cydney (file picture)
One married woman described her two small dogs as bed warmers.
One 50-year-old woman did not mind when my lovely cat slept on her chest and another described her cat as soothing.
She added: Patients volunteered that they deliberately acquired a dog or cat to help them relax.
People sleeping alone, not always single but sometimes with a partner who travels or works some nights, more often spoke of the beneficial companionship stemming from a pet in the bedroom or on the bed.
However, sharing your bed with a pet is certainly not for everyone. A previous study in 2013 by the same clinic reported that around that 10 per cent of people had had their sleep disturbed by pets.
A recent study of 23,000 dog owners found that more that half people let their pets sleep on their beds.
Dr Khan said: Many pet owners view companion animals as family members that they wish to incorporate into as many aspects of their life as possible.
Because humans spend considerable time sleeping, a pet owners desire to have animals close at night is understandable.
As more households include multiple pets, the challenge of securing appropriate sleeping arrangements is increased.
“They become almost like a neighborhood watch,” Rogers said, referring to residents who walk their dogs regularly. “They’re meeting their neighbors, and they’re getting to know their neighbors and getting to see what’s normal in the neighborhood if they do it every day.”
“There has already been a lot of research that shows dogs are good for the health and well-being of their human companions,” Pinchak told Ohio State News. “Our study adds another reason why dogs are good for us.”
In addition, research now shows that entire neighborhoods are actually safer when they contain canine companions. A new study from researchers at Ohio State University discovered that communities with higher dog ownership tend to experience lower rates of homicide, robbery and aggravated assaults compared to areas with fewer dogs, at least when neighbors also trusted one another.
If you have been on the fence about adding a four-legged friend to your family, this information gives you one more positive aspect to consider.
The international study documented the habits of 1,000 dog owners in Australia and the U.S. Again, walking dogs was associated with higher perceived safety.
Even in unsafe urban locations, a person with a dog seems less of a threat.
With the media full of crime statistics, modern cities often feel dangerous and menacing. People living in certain urban areas (especially young women) often find themselves cautiously assessing their safety level as they scan their environment for potential threats. Imagine, for example, that you are in a dimly lit enclosed parking lot and an unknown man is walking toward you. How likely is it that you might feel at least a momentary jitter and a tinge of fear or suspicion? Now reimagine the scene: Same dim parking lot, same man, except now he has a small fluffy Pomeranian dog on a leash walking beside him. Do you feel the same level of threat? If you answered “Not so much,” you are confirming the results of a recent study by a group of investigators headed by Rafael Delgado-Rodríguez from the Department of Psychology at the University of Jaén in Spain.
This group of investigators wanted to examine whether the presence of a dog made any difference in our feelings of safety in typical city environments. In order to do this, they first needed to create a set of stimulus pictures from metropolitan locales which varied in terms of their threat level. For this reason, they ran a preliminary experiment with 82 female college students in order to find typical urban settings which evoked positive and negative emotional responses.
Horror and mystery movies have always taken advantage of the fact that light levels affect our moods. That is why segments of a cinema that are supposed to create feelings of threat or peril are filmed as night scenes or in darkened rooms. We feel safer in bright light and more ill at ease when it is dark. Therefore, it is not surprising that the urban scenes rated as safe were usually photos taken during the day or with high light levels. Scenes rated as threatening were usually shot after dark or in low-light conditions.
The results also showed that, compared with safe spaces, more threatening environments have more places where a menacing troublemaker might conceal themselves and fewer avenues of escape if an individual is confronted by a threat. As one example, safe parking lots were open air, with high visibility from other buildings or shopping malls nearby, while threatening parking lots consisted of enclosed areas with dim artificial lighting levels and pillars that someone could hide behind. The researchers took photos of streets, suburbs, squares, parking lots, and parks and created sets pictures that were reliably rated as being threatening or safe.
Dogs Tested to See Whether They’d Defend Owner During Home Invasion
As pet owners, we already know there are countless benefits of having a dog. We feel safer at home in the knowledge that our canine friend is to hand should we feel threatened by potential intruders. Break-ins are a terrifying experience, in particular if it happens while you’re at home, so the presence of a dog can be a very comforting factor both to help prevent and provide protection should the worse happen.
Barking Dogs’ barking can work to deter burglars and alert residents and neighbours and studies show that burglars are less likely to target houses where dogs reside due to the increased risks of detection, arrest or injury. Their acute hearing means your dog will likely be alert to any usual noises or disturbance often before a break in, so helping to increase our sense of security and peace of mind.
Loyalty There’s a reason why a dog is called ‘man’s best friend’ – dogs are fiercely loyal creatures and won’t think twice before putting themselves in danger to protect and defend you. Their immediate barking at any potential danger to you or your family can help alert others and raise the alarm. And it’s not necessarily the case that it’s just larger dogs who are better for security; they may look more intimidating, but small dogs can have just as lively a bark and it’s this noise which can make all the difference as an alarm.
Speed Dogs have very quick reactions, more so than humans, and will most often act immediately upon detecting anything unusual. This fast action can be enough to scare off an intruder, or may be the difference between alerting you in time to get to safety and call the police.
Deterrents…! Another highly useful advantage of our furry security guards is that they come with their own very effective weapons – their teeth and claws! Anyone who’s experienced the power of a determined dog’s jaw will know their vice-like grip will clamp on to something (or someone) until they decide otherwise. For those who wouldn’t feel confident or comfortable defending themselves in an emergency, this can be very reassuring to have a willing and ‘armed’ protector constantly nearby.
So not only do they bring us companionship, joy and even benefits to our health and well-being, but dogs also help us to feel more safe and secure. And after all, we think a furry alarm system is the best kind any day!
Customer service is at the heart of everything we do. Were committed to giving you expert advice to ensure you always receive the very best.
To get the most protection out of your warranty, please register your product within 30 days here.
By registering and keeping your receipt, you will enjoy the products full warranty and should you ever need to call our Customer Care Centre, we will be able to help you faster.