Losing Sleep? Why your Pet may be the Cause
The famous expression "he's in the dog house" uses pet as metaphor to illustrate that someone is sleeping on the couch tonight. In millions of homes, however, the idea of an owner encroaching on the pet's personal space is not really an issue. The opposite, in fact, is quite the norm. Every night the family dog or cat curls up on someone's bed, right along with their owner(s), regardless of whether or not anyone is in the proverbial doghouse.
What follows is either a cozy night blissfully communing, subconsciously, with your pet, or a series of interruptions that last all night, courtesy of your dog or cat. Perhaps you are woken up by a request for a bathroom trip outside, or a tail in your face. Perhaps two rambunctious cats spontaneously decide to race not-so-gracefully across your body. If you had reached a stage of deep sleep, it would certainly feel spontaneous to you, as you are jolted awake. Simple things like a snoring dog, or one engaged in compulsive paw-licking, could prevent you from falling asleep in the first place.
It is, therefore, no surprise that an article in ScienceDaily.com, a research news site, reports that a Mayo Clinic study done several years ago found that there was a link between sleeping problems and pets. According to Dr. John Shepard, Medical Director of the Mayo Clinic Sleep Disorders Center at the time of the study, the results showed that 22 percent of their sleeping disorder patients were likely have pets sleeping on the bed with them.
Author and trainer Kathy Diamond Davis offers a few sensible ground rules in her article for The Canine Behavior Series on VeterinaryPartner.com. The dog should be fully housetrained. Davis stresses that it is important to begin with a well-behaved dog. While sharing a bed will not necessarily create bad habits in a dog, a dog that already has some bad habits will not make for a good sleeping companion.
You do not want a dog in your bed who startles easily or wakes up defensively snapping. You, or your partner, do not want a territorial animal in bed who will growl or threaten anyone who tries to reclaim a pillow. Davis recommends establishing a "get off the bed" command so that you can have some privacy when your partner is very much not in the doghouse.
Anyone with a cat skipped the last sentence entirely. Commands? Training? These are foreign words. If you would like to know a command for getting a cat off the bed, so would a lot of other people. Now I have your attention, but only, unfortunately, to tell you what you already know - there is no such thing. If your cat is a nuisance at night, consider that he or she has already spent a sizeable portion of the day dozing.
By nighttime, a cat is ready for action, and you are a captive audience. If you can provide more stimulation during the day for your cat, and set aside some time in the early evening for play, this might increase the likelihood that you will all be on the same page at bedtime. The only key to privacy, and personal space in bed, however, for cat owners, is the door.
Jennifer Hoyden is a freelance writer with a diverse background that includes editorial, trade and advertising. She especially enjoys covering fashion and beauty, for humans and animals (separately). Jennifer is also a devoted dog-lover who can play well with cat people.
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Comments (7)
Andria Rose Karshner February 27, 2009 9:01 AM
The only cure for sleeping well with your pets are naps!Loved your article! We had a thunder storm last night and we had to bring the border collie into the room so she wouldn't race out the dog door and bark all night. Forget the floor, she knows when we are asleep and up she comes. She has also mastered the art of getting us to rub her tummy in our sleep. Yes, it disturbs our sleep but better us then all our neighbors.
As for cats, I had one that laid next to my pillow every night for twenty-two years. I could not sleep if I did not have her rumbling purr to lull me to sleep.
Great article. Had fun reading it!
Mary March 1, 2009 7:59 PM
I loved reading this! My doctor told me several years ago to kick the cats out of the bedroom so it does not interfere with my sleep. (this never happened, I couldn't do it.) My 2 cats sleep very well by side at night, I couldn't sleep with out them. At about 5:30 am one starts pulling my hair with his teeth and paws and the other sticks his face in mine. They like to eat early what can I say!!
Sherry March 31, 2009 7:24 AM
I have three cats, and I am loved to pieces. Or at least sometimes it feels that way. They are so sweet. My two boys fight over who gets closest to me. They want under the covers right next to me or above my head on my pillows. Well, lets face it, their pillows. My girl sleeps, usually, between my legs at the foot of the bed. It is constant that I am moving my legs from one side of her to the other, being laid across to show that I am one of the boys, or that my boys want under the covers to be closest to me. If I shut them out of my bedroom at night, I wouldn't begin to be able to sleep without feeling them close to me. I would miss the quality time that we spend together! This is our time!
connie April 4, 2009 8:12 AM
loved your article, I have (2) cat Tom and Jerry. Jerry is very independent, but Tom likes to be right under me, laying on my pillow or at my feet he doesn't mind; but I know what you mean by night-time play sometimes I think that I'm their playground when I'm laying down here they come! up and over I love it.
Amy June 18, 2009 10:22 AM
I also loved the article, but felt it was not so entirely true. My cat always has to sleep snuggled up next to my head, but it doesn't bother at all; it's the time of the day (night?) when we get to snuggle. I think I would actually have a hardertime sleeping without her by my side (:
Anonymous June 25, 2009 4:35 PM
I sleep with three little Chinese Cresteds and would be ost without them. They all choose their spot on the big bed and zonk out for the whole night. If one wakes me up I know it must be an urgent request.
Minnas Mom June 26, 2009 5:37 AM
Try two standard poodles! Hubby is retired, so the "kids" & I usually hit the sack first. Minna lays down at my feet while Remi gets the pillow next to me. When Dad comes to bed, Remi just gets up & moves. No complaints (much)! They're so warm in the winter. It's a love-fest every night!
Igor February 24, 2010 4:37 PM
ApprovedIt's so nice to see people can get along with cats waking them up all night. This is a time-lapse video of what a typical cat does while you (try to) sleep:
Replyhttp://www.todaysbigthing.com/2008/10/09
Unfortunately, I am a light sleeper, and my girlfriend must for some reason have all her 3 cats sleep on the bed with us. They wake me up throughout the night and don't feel well in the morning. I tried taking Ambien but that had some nasty side effects. I'm afraid I'll be forced to never spend nights at her place, but what bothers me is that she cares more that her cats sleep on a bed, than that her beloved boyfriend gets a decent sleep.
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