Should You Let Your Dog Sleep in Your Bed?

Dogs, otherwise known as man’s best friends, are incredible companions that many couldn’t live without. One place that people are resisting separation from their pups is their bed. It’s incredibly common for people to let their dogs sleep with them at night. Many try and enforce their dogs to sleep at the end of the bed, but plenty of people let their dog roam completely free.

The real question is whether you should let your dog sleep with you. Many small things can impact your sleep and consequently your mood or energy levels. That’s why people spend so much time researching things like mattresses or pillows. There are even full sites providing full mattress buyer’s guides in an effort to find the perfect mattress. Clearly, there’s a lot of attention around improving your sleep comfort levels, so the same focus should be applied to deciding whether to add a four-legged sleeping companion.

How Many People Actually Sleep with Their Dogs?

Believe it or not, about 3 out of 5 dog owners allow their dogs to share their bed. That means more than half of the people who own dogs are choosing to sacrifice some space on their bed for their pets. Many people love their dogs like their own children, so it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. For example, there’s almost as much emphasis placed on buying the best dog mattress as your own mattress. The question is should you be putting this mattress at the foot of your bed or not?

What are the Positives of Letting Your Dog Sleep with You?

There are many reasons given for why people choose to let their dogs in the bed. These range from additional warmth for the pups or just a desire to stay connected with their loving companions. It’s understandable to assume the connection you have with your dog is going to be magnified if they’re sleeping at your feet or alongside you. The most important thing is to understand the tradeoffs and make sure you’re ready to make the sacrifice for some extra time with your pet.

What are the Cons to Allowing Your Dog to Sleep in Your Bed?

Recent research has actually shown allowing your dog to sleep in your bed can have negative effects on the quality of your sleep. This might not come as a surprise to some, but many assume there’s no real impact from letting your dog sleep alongside of you. You might not see it as a problem because they aren’t constantly waking you up, but they might be causing you to experience a more restless sleep.

In essence, this research has shown that the average sleep efficiency of people who allow their dogs in their bed is several points lower than those who don’t. It’s not a massive gap, but it’s sizeable enough that it could have effects on your sleep quality and alertness during the day.

Bottom line, dogs sleeping in your bed can reduce the quality of your sleep. The CDC recently stated 1 in 3 adults already don’t get enough sleep. We all know how important a sleep quality is for our health. So, the question needs to be asked, is sleeping with your dog worth more than a good night’s sleep? Get your pup a nice, comfortable dog crate and get that night of sleep you deserve.

You can also read: