Are you a dog lover? Are you someone, who just can’t let go of them even in your sleep?! If yes, you are not the only one doing so. Statistics suggest that about 60% of dog owners let their dogs sleep with them on their bed. While you may consider it as an ultimate stress-reliever, some researchers think otherwise.
Scientists at a non-profit medical group Mayo Clinic were curious to know if sleeping with dogs had an impact on the sleep quality of humans or not. This prompted the researchers to run a study, involving 40 adult dog owners, with no history of any sleep disorder. The dog owners were separated into two groups. The first group included the ones, who accompanied their dogs in bed while the other group consists of those, who kept their dogs confined to the floor or dog-bed.
The study spanned over a period of 7 days, at the end of which, sleep quality of the two groups were compared. The assessment of the sleep quality involved comparing the overall amount of time spent in bed versus the amount of time one actually slept.
After a week, results were observed. The dog-cuddlers scored a startling 80% of sleep efficiency, while the other group excelled with just 3 more per cent (i.e., 83% sleep efficiency).
The study also highlighted the fact that number of pets in the bedroom can also have a remarkable impact on the sleep quality. It was seen that those, who slept with a single dog in the bedroom, had a sound sleep as compared to those sleeping with multiple dogs.
Researchers validated the finding of the study by stating that presence of a dog in the bedroom can disrupt your sleep by waking you up several times. This may further make it difficult for you to get through your day. However, a notable point here is that this disruptive effect is minimal.
To conclude, it is apt to say that you need not keep a check on your dog-love if you are willing to compromise on 3% of your sleep efficiency and can deal with the exhaustive feeling that follows the next day. However, if you aim for a perfectly sound sleep, you must keep your dog off your bed.