Want to sleep better? Get a dog says new survey

12 October 2020

Having your dog in the bedroom could be the secret to improving your quality of sleep, according to new research from Linens Limited.

Image courtesy of Pixabay

The survey of more than 1,100 people found that individuals who sleep with their dog in the bedroom reported the highest quality of sleep of any group - 10% of these participants said their quality of sleep was ‘excellent’. This was in comparison to 8% of people who sleep with their children in the bedroom, 5% of people who sleep with their partner, 5% of people who sleep alone, and 0% (none) of participants who said they let their cats sleep with them in the bedroom.

Cat owners were also the group most likely to wake up feeling ‘groggy’ in the morning - 42% of cat owners described feeling like this in the morning, compared to 29% of dog owners.

Linens Limited’s Adriana Nicholson said: “As a nation of dog lovers it’s no surprise that those dogs that are lucky enough to sleep in the bedroom with their owners offer them comfort and a peaceful night’s sleep. The only thing we’d recommend if they’re on the bed at night is to remember to change your sheets and bed linen regularly to keep your bed fresh from any muddy footprints!”

Additionally, the survey revealed that dog owners were also the most likely to wake up at the same time every day, which could be a factor in their better quality of sleep:

Do you wake up at the same time every day?

My dog(s) sleep in my bedroom

38.1% said yes

28.6% said yes Monday- Friday

33.3% said no

I sleep with my partner

31.6% said yes

33.8% said yes Monday-Friday

34.1% said no

Sleep alone

32.3% said yes

22.6% said yes Monday to Friday