Sharing A Bed With Your Pet Helps You Sleep Better

If you are going through the worst phase of sleep disorder like insomnia, it would be a wise choice if you start sharing a bed with your pet right away. Dealing with insomnia can be tough and, for some, it is impossible to beat even with the sleeping pills. But, a study carried out at Mayo Clinic in Arizona has found that sleeping with your pet could make you feel more safe and secure and help you get a better night’s rest.

As a part of the study, researchers interviewed 150 patients who regularly visited the clinic. 49 percent (74 people) of them reported having pets, while 41 percent (31 people) reported having multiple pets.

Researchers asked about their companionship with their pets, including the number and type of the pets they have, their behavior and sleeping habits. To that, more than half of the participants (56 percent) reported sharing bed with their pets.

Of this 56 percent (84 people), 20 percent of the participants said that their pet disrupted their sleep, but 41 percent claimed that their pets’ presence was beneficial and it helped them get a good night’s sleep. Some even reported that when their pet slept nearby, they felt secure, content, and relaxed.

In the study published at Mayo Clinic Proceedings, researchers noted, “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 owner’s desire to have animals close at night is understandable. As more households include multiple pets, the challenge of securing appropriate sleeping arrangements is increased.”

A 64-year-old woman participant claimed that she felt more content when her small dog slept under the covers near her feet. Also, one married woman described her 2 small dogs as “bed warmers,” and a 50-year-old woman did “not mind when my lovely cat” slept on her chest and another described her cat as “soothing.”

Well, if you have done the calculation, you will realize that the whole research is based on only a small number of people. So I can’t really say the result is entirely reliable.

If 41 percent of 84 people claimed their pets gave them a good night’s sleep, that is only 34 people. Moreover, in total, only 74 pet owners were being surveyed in the study.

As for my opinion, surveying on a larger sample of people would yield more interesting and well-grounded results. It is still an interesting study though.

Read this next – Your Cat Wants You Dead

Hat Tip: Mayo Clinic Proceedings – Are Pets in the Bedroom a Problem?