Professors at Canisius College in New York State discovered that, for women, dogs make better sleeping companions than humans or cats. To evaluate how pets influence sleep quality, they examined the nighttime routines of 1,000 women across the United States.
Dogs’ Sleep Patterns Align More Closely with Humans Than Cats’
Christy Hoffman, PhD in animal behavior, explained that dogs’ sleep cycles closely resemble those of humans. Unlike cats, which often wake and move around at night, dogs usually remain in bed. “This indicates that cats cause more nighttime disruptions. We also observed that dog owners maintained more regular sleep and wake schedules compared to cat owners,” Hoffman told Healthline.
Dogs also outperformed human partners as sleeping companions. Hoffman noted, “Couples often have mismatched bedtimes and wake-up times, which can easily disturb sleep. Our study found that dogs adjust to their owners’ schedules more readily than human partners do.”
Women Feel Safer Sleeping Beside Dogs Than Cats
Lastly, women who slept alongside their dogs said they felt safer and more at ease. This sense of security comes from dogs’ tendency to alert their owners to intruders or emergencies—a role cats are far less likely to fulfill, which meant they didn’t offer participants the same reassurance.
Christy Hoffman states that further research is needed, but the study was valuable for examining minor disturbances that disrupt sleep and are often overlooked. Regarding germs, she notes there is no cause for concern as long as the pet is well cared for and vaccinated. “However, if your immune system is compromised, it’s best to avoid sleeping with your pet,” the researcher concluded.
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