Is It Appropriate to Share Your Bed with a Pet?
Sleeping with pets has become a common practice for many pet owners, offering comfort and emotional bonding. However, it's essential to consider the potential benefits and risks associated with this habit.
Benefits of Sleeping with Pets
For some, sharing a bed with a pet can lead to emotional benefits. The close proximity can strengthen the bond, ease anxiety, and promote feelings of security, especially for women, by releasing oxytocin, the "love hormone" [1].
In cases where pets provide emotional comfort, the advantages related to sleep disturbances or hygiene may be outweighed [3]. Warmth from a pet's fuzzy coat can also be a comfort on cold nights, as they run a few degrees hotter than humans.
Risks and Concerns
Despite the benefits, sleeping with pets can disrupt sleep quality due to pet movements, repositioning, and noises [1][3]. This can be particularly problematic for individuals with allergies or asthma, as exposure to pet dander for multiple hours in close quarters can exacerbate symptoms [3].
Pets can carry dirt, bacteria, intestinal parasites, fleas, ticks, and other vector-borne diseases that may pose health risks, especially for young children, elderly, or immune-compromised individuals [3][5]. To minimize these risks, it's crucial to use parasite prevention medications and maintain good pet grooming practices.
There's also a potential risk of bites or scratches during sleep, especially with restless or anxious pets [1]. Small, very young, or elderly pets may be at risk of injury from bedding or being rolled on during sleep [3].
Recommendations
When deciding whether to share a bed with a pet, it's important to carefully evaluate your own health, particularly your allergies and asthma. Maintaining consistent training and routines for your pet’s bedtime behavior can help minimize sleep disturbances [1].
Using parasite prevention medications and good pet grooming practices can significantly reduce hygiene risks [3][5]. If sleep disturbance or health concerns are significant, consider alternative sleeping arrangements, such as pet beds close by rather than in your bed.
Regularly washing your bedding and using mattress protectors can also help keep pet dander and other allergy and asthma triggers from accumulating.
In conclusion, sleeping with pets can be beneficial for emotional well-being if you and your pet are healthy and well-trained. However, it's crucial to weigh the potential risks related to allergies, sleep quality, hygiene, and disease transmission carefully. Online polls show that more than half of pet owners share a bed with their pets, but the decision should be personalized to each individual's circumstances.
[1] Foldvary-Schaefer, N. (2014). The Impact of Pets on Human Sleep. Sleep Review.
[3] American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (2017). Pets in the Bedroom: A Survey of Pet Owners.
[5] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Pet Health and Safety.
- The emotional benefits of sleeping with pets, such as strengthening the bond and promoting feelings of security, may outweigh the potential sleep disturbances or hygiene issues for some pet owners who find their pets offer comfort.
- For individuals with allergies or asthma, it's crucial to consider the potential risks of sleeping with pets, as exposure to pet dander for multiple hours in close quarters can exacerbate symptoms, necessitating consistent use of parasite prevention medications and good pet grooming practices.
- To minimize health risks when sleeping with pets, it's advisable to maintain consistent training and routines for pet bedtime behavior, regularly wash bedding, use mattress protectors, and keep pet beds nearby rather than in the bed if sleep disturbances or health concerns are significant.
