Sharing Your Bed With Your Chihuahua Improves Sleep And Feeling Of Security

The study was conducted at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona and Dr. Lois Krahn asked 150 patients about their pets and their sleeping habits. Among the 56 percent of participants who share their bed with a cat or dog, only about 20 percent of those say their pets disturbed their slumber. On the other hand, 41 percent said they actually slept better with their best pals. Animals were cited as a source of relaxation and security in the bedroom.

However, not all sleep studies related to sleeping with pets have yielded positive results. Another study done in 2014 showed different results. Earlier research from the Mayo Clinic suggests pets can be a problem in the bedroom. In the 2014 study, around 10 percent of the clinic’s patients reported that their snoring, yelping, twitching bedmates were effectively sabotaging their sleep — that’s a surprising surge from the mere 1 percent of patients who blamed their pets in a 2002 study. “The study determined that while the majority of patients did not view their pets intolerably disturbing their sleep, a higher percentage of patients experienced irritation,” said Krahn, the psychiatrist who also authored the 2014 study. (The Dodo)

I guess it all has to do with person and the pet.

It seems that people who viewed their pets as companion animals felt safer and more secure when sleeping with them.

Here are some statements from the study as reported by Daily Mail:

“A single 64 year old woman commented that she felt more content when her small dog slept under the covers near her feet, as noted in the study.”

“Another woman, who was married, described her two small dogs as bed warmers, and a described her cat sleeping on her chest as ‘soothing’.”

So, why exactly is this information important. People with sleeping problems may benefit from companion animals to sleep with. We have companion animals for almost any mental or health issue under the sun. It makes sense that companion animals for sleeping would be highly beneficial. A pet can do so much more than just hang around.

Do your pets keep you up or help you sleep?

Reference: www.davidwolfe.com