We’ve written before about dogs curing insomnia – but now it seems you need to be careful when it comes to where your pets sleep. This article from WebMD discusses the whether it’s healthy for your dogs or cats to sleep in your bed.
Some might think having your animal in bed with you would be soothing and help you to sleep – and the article does give examples of people that find sleeping with their pet better than taking Ambien. However, the article cites a study released by the Mayo Clinic Sleep Disorders Center which found that 53% of pet owners claimed their pets disturbed their sleep.
The medical director of Northshore Sleep Medicine mentioned that she’d gone over and over the insomnia problems of some patients, only to find out they had a dog that kept them up all night with their scratching!
So, what do we take from this? If your pet sleeps in your bed and you suffer from insomnia, kick them out. If your pet doesn’t sleep in your bed and you suffer from insomnia, try inviting them in! Be warned, though – once they’re in, it can be tough to kick them out!
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this – does your pet sleep with you? How does pet ownership affect your insomnia? Our comments form is below, as usual.
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