Is It Good to Sleep With Your Pet? Benefits, Risks & Expert Vet-Backed Advice

The question of whether you should sleep with your pet or not is worth pondering in terms of both your pet’s and your own wellbeing. 

Dr. Dana Varble, the chief veterinary officer, said, “In general, it is a very good thing for animals to sleep with their people. 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. It’s a big display of trust on their part. Dogs and cats who are more closely bonded with their humans get additional health benefits, including increases in beneficial neurotransmitters such as oxytocin and dopamine, the feel-good hormones.”

It is pretty clear that most, if not all pets benefit from sleeping with their humans. It helps them trust more and feel connected to their owners. But does it do the same for people? Should you sleep with your pet?

Dr. Vsevolod Polotsky, director of sleep research and a professor in the department of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said, “Animals are disruptive because they pull you out of deep sleep. They have been associated with the release of the stress hormone, cortisol, which can make sleep even worse.”

Though many might find their pets disrupting their sleep, some might actually benefit from having their pet in bed with them.

Sleep specialist Dr. Raj Dasgupta, an assistant professor of clinical medicine at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, said, “People with depression or anxiety may benefit from having their pet in the bed. Because the pet is a big pillow, a big blanket, and they may feel that a snuggly, cuddly, furry creature decreases their anxiety.”

Most pets benefit from sleeping with their human, while their owners may or may not benefit. It really depends on the person, but pets in general, benefit from sleeping with their owners. Do you like sharing your bed with your pets? 

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