For some pet guardians, their pets are present in their lives from the moment they wake up to the moment they go to bed.
This happens because cats, dogs and other companion animals are increasingly perceived as family members. I’m not talking about the distant cousin, for example, but the ones who really take part in our everyday lives.
In some cases, this includes quieter, more intimate moments, like bedtime. Sleeping with your cat or dog can feel comforting, even essential.
In fact, according to a survey conducted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, almost half — 46 per cent — of respondents sleep in the same bed with a pet. As a clinical researcher that focuses on the interactions between pet owners and their animals, I work with many people who describe a close relationship with their pets and share a variety of moments with them.
The benefits of this bond is supported by science. Research shows daily interactions with pets can enhance well-being.
But research also suggests any potential benefits to sleeping next to a beloved pet aren’t straightforward: it can feel comforting even as it may quietly disrupt sleep quality.
The emotional logic of co-sleeping with pets
The impact of co-sleeping can be measured through self-reports and questionnaires, as well as with objective tools, like wristwatches that measure what’s happening physiologically during the night.
In studies using subjective measures, many pet guardians report sleeping better when their pets are with them. Other benefits linked with co-sleeping include an increase in feelings of comfort and emotional safety.
In this context, sleeping places us in a state of perceived vulnerability. Sleeping with a pet, particularly one with whom we have a close bond, may reduce this sense of vulnerability while enhancing a sense of safety.
Emotional regulation is another possible mechanism in this context, as feeling safer can lower emotional arousal. In other words, the presence of a pet may simply help pet guardians feel safe and comfortable. Waking up with a pet next to them can bring a sense of happiness, which may lead them to feel they slept well.
At the same time, some studies using standard questionnaires to assess insomnia and sleep quality suggest that co-sleeping with a pet is not linked to lower stress and may increase insomnia and reduce perceived sleep quality.
These mixed findings suggest that the effects of co-sleeping are more complex than they may seem — that how we feel about our sleep doesn’t always match what’s happening in our body.
Co-sleeping from a physiological perspective
We can also investigate the impacts of co-sleeping with pets more objectively, using tools to assess sleep patterns, awakenings during the night and overall sleep quality.
Research suggests that even when pet guardians report better sleep, physiological measures often show more fragmented sleep when they share the bed with their pets. In one study, researchers used a wristwatch-like device to measure people’s movement during the night while they slept with their pets.
They found that even when people felt they slept well, their sleep tended to be more disrupted.
In some cases, these disruptions were related to the pet’s movements during the night. Researchers observed a synchrony in which pet’s movements influenced their guardians’ movement patterns, and vice versa.
Co-sleeping with a pet, therefore, may affect both the person’s sleep and the pet’s sleep. And though these disruptions aren’t uniform, they may depend on the type of animal you share your bed.
Why do dogs disrupt sleep more than cats
There is also evidence that the impact may vary depending on the type and number of pets. People who sleep with dogs may experience more disruption, while those sleeping with cats often report mixed results.
Although the reasons for these differences are unclear, they may be linked to dogs’ greater sensitivity to external stimuli, such as car noise, barking in the neighbourhood and other environmental sounds.
Considering how these experiences can shape mental health and well-being, it is important to note that poor sleep quality over time can impact emotional regulation.
This may appear as lower tolerance for frustration or a reduced ability to manage emotionally challenging situations. Fatigue, depressed mood, difficulty focusing and a range of other symptoms may also be linked to poor sleep.
Taken together, these findings challenge the idea that co-sleeping is simply either good or bad.
Rethinking the “good or bad” debate
Sleeping with a pet seems to be both comforting and disruptive at the same time.
It is a complex behaviour, and understanding people’s motivations behind whether they share their bed is important. In some cases, for example, co-sleeping with a pet can be very meaningful, aligned with people’s needs and potentially linked to comfort and well-being.
At the same time, it is important to keep in mind that our perceptions do not always fully reflect what is happening in the body.
From a practical perspective, a more nuanced understanding of co-sleeping can shed light on how it shapes daily experiences, sleep and overall health. Closer attention to how pets are integrated into our lives can help guardians make decisions that consider both physical and mental health, without neglecting the potential impacts of those decisions on the pet.
Rather than asking whether co-sleeping with your pet is beneficial or harmful, a better questions is what are you prioritizing: emotional comfort or uninterupted sleep? Recognizing the trade-off can help pet guardians make an informed choice.
