Ahhh sleep! The one-stop solution to all of life’s problems! Who doesn’t love a good night’s sleep right? Getting in bed with your soft pyjamas on and the air conditioner at just the perfect temperature is a different kind of bliss altogether. But what if we tell you that there is a way to enhance your sleep even more?
Pet parents, the question of whether or not to let your pet snuggle in with you has been asked over and over again by many people and produced inconclusive answers. Some are absolutely against it due to allergies or potential hygienic concerns and others are all for it due to the warmth it fills them with.
Poorvi Anthony, co-founder of Justdogs, shares her inputs in defense of sleeping with your pets for better sleep as well as many mental health benefits.
Helps with mental health problems
Researchers have proven that sleeping with your pet can help you get a sense of security and help release a good amount of oxytocin in your brain to feel safe and happy as you go to bed. Surrounding yourself with such pawsitivity can reduce stress and feelings of anxiety significantly and also help to reduce nightmares. The warmth and familiarity that it provides can also help to relax people with anxiety and prevent them from staying awake until late hours and worrying, and instead fall asleep faster and with a calmer attitude.
Helps with insomnia
As mentioned above, having a dog to cuddle in your bed can help calm many people with anxiety, which can help with the anxiety-induced insomnia that they face. Research proves that the more comforting the surroundings, the easier it is for a person to fall asleep and nothing says comfort more like your perfect pet in your bed.
Promotes healthier sleep
Snuggling with a beloved person or pet can help to increase the oxytocin in your brain, which in turn helps to increase theta brainwaves. These brainwaves promote a drowsy, meditative state and lead to a much healthier and calmer sleep with lesser trouble. More theta waves mean better REM sleep!
Beneficial for your bond with pet
The simple act of sleeping with your pet can enhance your bond with them by a great degree as it helps them trust you more and form a more meaningful and loving bond. This means better sleep for you and your pet and an even better friendship!
It is worth noting that sleeping with pets is not the right call for everyone. It can be a bad idea if you are a light sleeper and a heavy-breathing dog might cause you to have poor sleep. It might even be an issue if you are allergic to their fur and need some distance from them at times. However, if these are not problems for you, we suggest giving sleeping with your pet a try for some truly pawsome sleep!
