Until now, research has suggested that sleeping with your pets is disruptive and should be avoided. A new study released December 2015 finds that sleeping with your pet may help you feel more secure, reduce anxiety and even sleep better!
Earlier Research Suggested Sleeping With Pets is Disruptive
We reported on the 2014 Mayo Clinic study in which 300 participants were surveyed. One hundred fifty-seven of them owned pets and about 60 percent of them allowed their pets to sleep with them on the bed. Of those 60 percent, 53 percent said that their pets disrupted their sleep. Most pet owners were disturbed a few times each night, with only a handful stating their sleep was disturbed for more than 20 minutes every night. You can read our full post Sleeping with Pets: Has Your Quality of Sleep Gone to the Dogs here.
New Research Identifies Benefits of Sleeping With Pets
This month, the Center for Sleep Medicine at the Mayo Clinic conducted similar research. They found that 56% of the participants shared their bed or bedroom with their pets but only 20% reported being woken up by their pets and 41% said having pets in their bed helped them sleep better.
The Reported Benefits:
- Helps with relaxation
- Sense of companionship
- Sense of security
- Increased feeling of contentment
Do you sleep with your pets? What are the benefits or disruptions?
Are you concerned that you or a loved one are suffering from excessive daytime sleepiness?
Sources:
Are Pets in the Bedroom a Problem? Krahn, Lois E. et al.Mayo Clinic Proceedings , Volume 90 , Issue 12 , 1663 – 1665
Other posts you may find interesting:
- Does My Dog Have Sleep Apnea?
- Sleeping with Pets: Has the Quality of Your Sleep Gone to the Dogs?
- Is Urinating at Night a Sign of a Sleep Disorder?
- When Should You Drink Your Morning Coffee?
- 4 Reasons You Should Wear Blue Light Blocking Glasses Tonight
Photo credit: Kermit Newman
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