Should You Let Your Dog Sleep On Your Bed?

Pet parents would know that your dog is not just a dog, but an integral part of your family. Mental health expert, Dr Dharmesh Shah, founder and director of Holistica World says that having pets can alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety. It also encourages the person to have a routine and responsibility. "The unconditional love and companionship of a pet provide emotional support, which can reduce stress and increase overall happiness," he says.

"Pets require regular feeding, grooming, and exercise, which instils a sense of duty and foster reliability. The routine of pet care offers predictability, which can be comforting for individuals with anxiety or depression. Additionally, knowing that a pet relies on them can boost self-esteem and foster a sense of accomplishment," he says.

In a study published in the Journal of Human Nature, researchers have seen that sleeping in the same room as your pets is not a modern phenomenon, dogs have been domesticated since ancient times. In fact, in some cultures, it is considered beneficial to sleep with animals as it protects you from evil spirits. But what is the science behind it? Should you sleep or not with your dog, on the same bed?

If you co-sleep with your dog, you are prone to developing allergies. Transmission of diseases, from both the dog to the human and vice-versa is possible.

Some studies have also reported that sharing a bed with dogs can lead to disturbances in sleep, which is not the case with people whose pets did not sleep with them. This may be because dogs are polyphasic sleepers, which means they have an average of three sleep and wake cycles per nighttime hour, whereas humans are monophasic sleepers, which means they sleep for one period over a 24-hour cycle.

As per the American Kennel Club, if your dog has signs of aggression, then sleeping together can worsen it.

As per Mayo Clinic, 56% of adults sleep with a pet in the bedroom, whereas 35% of children share their bed with a pet. While allergies are one side of the coin, there are also certain benefits associated with co-sleeping with your dog. Allergies can be controlled if your dog is cleaned well, your house follows a regular hygiene routine and the transmission of disease could be limited if your dog is vaccinated.

There are PTSD dog services that use trained dogs to identify physical signs that indicate a person is having a nightmare or a trigger attack even while sleeping. This is when the dog disrupts the person's sleep to distract them from the trigger attack or the nightmare.

Seconding with Dr Shah's explanation, having a dog can actually reduce anxiety and loneliness, ease symptoms of mental health conditions and also help in regulating emotions. It can also add sense and purpose to life.

As per Sleep Foundation, the presence of pets can influence the makeup of bacteria found in a home, which can in turn impact the immunity of humans living there. Take it as a vaccine, where weakened or inactive parts of a pathogen or the same virus are used to fight the virus that is causing infection. This happens because the vaccine triggers your body's immune system to produce antibodies and then it recognises and fights off the specific pathogens. Similarly, researchers have hypothesised that exposure to a diversity of microorganisms benefits human health and strengthens immunity.