Should I Let My Pet Sleep With Me?
Choosing to sleep with an animal is a personal decision. Pets offer comfort and security, but they may affect sleep quality or trigger allergies for some people. Whether the benefits outweigh the risks depends on you, your pet, and your unique situation.
Research and subjective human experience suggest sleeping with a pet can provide a variety of benefits.
Some people choose a pet, particularly a dog, for safety and protection. Having a dog in the home might objectively increase security by deterring property crime. A dog’s presence can also provide subjective feelings of safety. For example, in a study of American women, those who slept with dogs reported feeling more comforted and secure Trusted Source National Agricultural Library The National Agricultural Library is one of five national libraries of the United States and houses one of the worlds largest collections devoted to agriculture and its related sciences. nal.usda.gov .
Service dogs can also impart a sense of comfort and security to people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) when they experience a nightmare. PTSD service dogs are trained to identify physical signs that indicate a person is having a nightmare, so they can disrupt the nightmare by waking them up. In a study of veterans with PTSD service dogs, 57% stated that their dog helped ease their nightmare problems.
A meta-analysis of 17 studies concluded that pets are generally a positive force when it comes to human mental health Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov . For many people experiencing long-term mental health problems, dogs form an integral part of the support network even if they are not official service dogs.
Having a pet can reduce worries and loneliness, distract from mental illness symptoms, help regulate emotions, and add to a sense of purpose and meaning in life. Positively interacting with a dog increases oxytocin levels in adults Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov and reduces cortisol levels in children Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov . Increased oxytocin and reduced cortisol levels are associated with relaxation and stress reduction.
Most of the studies conducted on the mental health benefits of having a pet were conducted when participants were awake, so it is not clear whether these benefits apply when people sleep with their pets. However, the relaxing effect of interacting with a pet appears to be at least partially due to physical touch. If sleeping with dogs involves snuggling up and making direct physical contact, it might result in less stress and increased relaxation.
Many people claim that sleeping with their pet benefits their sleep, and an older study found that people with pets were less likely to take sleep medication Trusted Source SpringerLink SpringerLink provides researchers with access to millions of scientific documents from journals, books, series, protocols, reference works, and proceedings. link.springer.com than people who do not have pets.
The presence of dogs or cats significantly influences the makeup of bacteria found in a home, which in turn impacts the immunity of humans living there. Researchers hypothesize that exposure to a diversity of microorganisms benefits human health and immunity, and a lack of diverse exposure might be to blame for a rise in allergies and autoimmune disorders. Past research shows that petting a dog Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov increases an immune response, so the close contact of sharing a sleeping space may benefit the immune system more than simply having a dog in the house. More research is needed, however.
The immunity advantages pets provide is likely even more beneficial for children and infants, as they have developing immune systems. Living with a cat in a person’s first year of life has been found to halve the risk of becoming allergic to cats by age 18. For males, living with a dog during the first year of life similarly reduces the chance of becoming allergic to dogs. Being exposed to two or more dogs or cats in the first year of life may also reduce a person’s likelihood of developing other allergies, such as to dust mites, blue grass, and ragweed.
Pets are demonstrated to improve human health in many ways, such as by decreasing cholesterol and triglyceride levels and lowering blood pressure. Owning a dog is correlated to a reduced risk of death Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov , likely because of these positive effects on the cardiovascular system. Early research on this topic found that petting dogs Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov , in particular, reduces blood pressure and heart rate. If touching your pet is part of the key to gaining health benefits, cuddling up together at night might help.
Although sleeping with pets brings many people joy, sleeping with an animal may come with risks for some people.
In the United States, millions of people Trusted Source National Institutes of Health (NIH) The NIH, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the nation’s medical research agency — making important discoveries that improve health and save lives. nih.gov who have pet allergies live with a pet regardless. However, for people with pet allergies, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences advises against allowing pets into your bedroom, even during the day, to avoid exposure to their hair and dander as you sleep.
Although exposure to pets in infancy makes a person less likely to develop pet allergies, research suggests that having a pet for the first time in adulthood may make a person more sensitive to pet allergens Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov . Having a cat for the first time in adulthood was also found to be associated with eczema, an allergy-related skin condition. If you believe your pet might be provoking allergy symptoms, you may want to visit your doctor to request an allergy test.
The fact that pets bring more microorganisms into your home has benefits and drawbacks. On one hand, exposure to a greater variety of bacteria and other microbes may help strengthen the human immune system. On the other hand, pets can bring in harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites as well, putting the families they live with at risk for zoonotic diseases. Zoonotic diseases, also called zoonoses, are infectious diseases that animals spread to humans.
Researchers say it is uncommon, but possible, for people to catch a sensitive to pet allergens from sleeping with a pet. People who are more prone to infection, such as young children, those who are immunocompromised, and those who have an open wound, might want to avoid sleeping with pets.
Pet owners should note that allowing your pet to kiss or lick your face increases your risk of a variety of diseases.
Some people experience disturbed sleep as a result of allowing their pet in their bed at night. In one study, 20% of participants labeled their pets as disruptive when sleeping in the same room as them.
People also might lack awareness of a pet’s impact on their sleep. When a dog moves in bed, the human sharing the bed is three times as likely to move as well, even though they may not notice. Humans are also over four times as likely Trusted Source National Agricultural Library The National Agricultural Library is one of five national libraries of the United States and houses one of the worlds largest collections devoted to agriculture and its related sciences. nal.usda.gov to be awake while a dog they share the bed with is active.
The sleep quality ramifications of sharing a bed with your dog are likely relatively mild. However, if you would like to minimize sleep disturbances, researchers have found that having the dog sleep elsewhere in the bedroom Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov does not impact sleep to the same extent.
Sleep disturbances when sharing a bed may depend on the type of pet. In one study, women who shared a bed with a dog reported less disturbed sleep than those who shared a bed with a cat. Another study found a connection between having a cat as a pet Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov and not obtaining the recommended seven hours of sleep per night. However, more research is needed before it can be concluded that cats are more disruptive to sleep.
Since animal sleep patterns differ from human sleep patterns, it makes sense that sleeping with a companion animal could cause discord at times. If you feel sharing a bed with your pet disrupts your sleep, consider designating a sleeping spot for them near your bed or outside of your bedroom.
Bites from your pet can spread infection and cause injury, and dogs may be more likely to bite when woken from sleep.
One study found that 6% of dogs Trusted Source Science Direct The leading platform of peer-reviewed literature that helps you move your research forward. sciencedirect.com that bit someone were sleeping or resting immediately before the bite. Research on dog bites in Jamaica found that dogs who slept in a person’s bedroom were more than twice as likely to bite someone Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov compared to those who slept outside the bedroom, though no such connection was found for dogs in San Francisco.
Children are more likely than adults to sustain a dog bite requiring medical attention. This trend could be because they are not as good at reading signs of fear or aggression, or because they are more likely to get very close to a dog’s face. This is not to say that children can never sleep with a dog, but parents might not want to allow children to sleep with dogs that have shown aggression before, or with large dogs that can do more damage with a bite.
1 Reduces Allergies Later in Life
Many people’s argument against sleeping with your dog includes the fact that they may bring allergens into the bedroom. However, one study found that infants who slept with their pets were less likely to develop allergies later on in life. Early exposure to allergens carried by dogs seems to have a positive impact! While this may not be the case for everyone, it’s certainly worth considering when deciding to let your dog sleep in your child’s bedroom.
Having pets in the household has an array of benefits like lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, decreased feelings of loneliness and more opportunities for activities and socialization. However, these benefits don’t stop at bedtime. One study found that 41 percent of pet owners described sleeping with their pets as unobtrusive and even beneficial. The case can be made that having your dog near you, whether in the waking hours or sleep, can lead to improved health overall
Strengthens Bond With the Dog
The term “three dog night” refers to the practice Alaskan native-Americans used that involved sleeping with their dogs for mutual warmth. The dogs would gather around the campfire with the humans and on cold nights would share their bed. The colder the night, the more dogs were necessary to keep warm. This undoubtedly helped strengthen the early bond between humans and canines –– some veterinarians think that it can help with socialization to this day. Sleeping together lets the dog know they are a part of your pack and many people claim dogs are more easily trained when they sleep near their owners.
With cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of death in the United States, a healthy heart is definitely important. Good news for pet owners — a study from the American Heart Association found a link between pet ownership and a healthy heart. Pet ownership was shown to decrease systemic hypertension in pet owners despite them having similar body mass indexes and socioeconomic profiles. Of course, your dogs will help you remain more active, but their calming effect and impact on blood pressure likely play a part as well.
Sleeping Next to Your Dog Has Scientific Benefits
If youve got a dog, youll know that theres nothing quite like a snuggle on the sofa while binge watching Ru Pauls Drag Race. They look adorable when theyre sleeping, our entire camera roll is basically delfies, and they give the best cuddles.
But did you know that sleeping next to your cute canine is actually really good for you? A study by The Mayo Clinic found that you get a better nights sleep when you snooze next to your pet pup.
Researchers found that the 40 healthy individuals involved in the study slept better when next to a dog, no matter how big or small the pet in question was, or how much it moved in the night.
The Mayo Clinics Lois Krahn said: Most people assume having pets in the bedroom is a disruption. We found that many people actually find comfort and a sense of security from sleeping with their pets.
Today, many pet owners are away from their pets for much of the day, so they want to maximise their time with them when they are home. Having them in the bedroom at night is an easy way to do that. And, now, pet owners can find comfort knowing it won’t negatively impact their sleep.
Another study found that we love dogs more than we love other humans (opens in new tab) (true), and even newer research shows that you get a better nights sleep when you sleep next to a dog rather than a partner (true again).
The scientific study by Dr. Christy L. Hoffman, a professor in Animal Behaviour, Ecology, and Conservation at Canisius College in New York tracked sleeping habits to find out whether sleeping next to a pet affects womens sleep patterns.
And the results showed that those who slept next to a dog reported a better, more restful sleep than those who slept next to a cat, or another human. Apparently, dogs are less disruptive and we experience feelings of comfort and security when cuddling a pet pooch.
Dr. Hoffman told Broadly that the keyword here is perception, this study is based on individuals self-reporting how they feel their sleep is affected.
She added that it is important to note that this is based on aggregated data and an average of responses, so getting a dog wont solve everyones sleep problems.
If you havent got a dog, dont worry – this is probably the most perfect excuse to get one.
Jadie Troy-Pryde is News Editor, covering celebrity and entertainment, royal, lifestyle and viral news. Before joining the team in 2018 as the Lifestyle and Social Media Editor, she worked at a number of women’s fashion and lifestyle titles including Grazia, Women’s Health and Stylist, and now heads the Marie Claire UK news desk.