People often ask if they should share their beds with pets. Before we get to that, let's think about the other side: Is sleeping with you good for your pet?
"In general, it is a very good thing for animals to sleep with their people." said Dr. Dana Varble, the chief veterinary officer for the North American Veterinary Community. "Pets who share their human's bed tend to have a higher trust level and a tighter bond* with the humans that are in their lives. Dogs and cats who are more closely bonded with their humans get additional health benefits."
Now let's turn to you—is it good for you to sleep with a pet? Experts have traditionally said no because you might not get quality shut-eye. "Animals may move, bark andinterruptyour sleep. Sleep in dogs and cats is not continuous and they will inevitably get up and walk on the bed, stepping on people. All of that activity will lead to sleep fragmentation*," said Dr. Vsevolod Polotsky, director of sleep research and a professor in the department of medicine.
"These micro awakenings," which can happen without your awareness, "are disruptive because they pull you out of deep sleep," said Kristen Knutson, an associate professor of neurology and preventive medicine.
That may be true for many of us, but recent studies have shown that pets in the bedroom could be beneficial for some of us. "People with depression* or anxiety may benefit from having their pet in the bed because they may feel that soft friend decreases their anxiety," said sleep specialist Dr. Raj Dasgupta, an assistant professor of clinical medicine.
The Mayo Clinic's Center for Sleep Medicine in Phoenix found over half of pet owners seen in the clinic allowed their pet to sleep in the bedroom—and the most found their pet "unobtrusive or even beneficial to sleep." About 20% however, did believe their pets made their sleep worse. Children may benefit from sleeping with a pet as well. A 2021 study asked teenagers ages 13 to 17 to wear sleep trackers for two weeks and then undergo a sleep test. About a third of the kids slept with a pet, the study noted, which didn't appear to affect the quality of their rest.
