Science Says You Should Sleep With Your Dog for Better Sleep

When I was growing up, our family dog used to sleep with my dad. I have now learned that this may be the reason why he always slept so well.

I found a story on I Heart Dogs. It's based on a new study by the AKC that explores where dogs sleep and how it affects owners. According to their survey, 45% of AKC registered owners allow their dogs to sleep in their beds.

I Heart Dogs takes this research even further by including the stress relief that therapy dogs provide. The also tapped into a Mayo Clinic study into how pets affect human sleep. The Mayo Clinic conclusion comes with a caveat:

Humans with a single dog in their bedroom maintained good sleep efficiency; however, the dog's position on/off the bed made a difference. A dog's presence in the bedroom may not be disruptive to human sleep, as was previously suspected.

A dog CAN help a human sleep better as long as their position isn't disruptive. Makes sense.

This nifty dog training YouTube channel adds yet another thing to consider when it comes to dogs sleeping in rooms/beds. They warn that dogs should not sleep in beds with children where they are unsupervised.

Now the big question. Do you let your dog sleep in your bed?

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