Why pets should not be allowed in bed: scientists' answer

Pets become real family members, so owners often take them to bed with them before going to sleep. It is very pleasant to fall asleep with your arms around a dog's warm coat or enjoying the gentle purr of a cat.

Often, pets come to bed at night on their own, and owners don't have the heart to drive them away. However, scientists do not recommend letting pets into bed. OBOZREVATEL investigated whether it can really have a negative impact on health.

Scientists from the United States conducted a study and found that pets, in particular cats and dogs, can cause sleep disturbances in humans. Many volunteers expressed a desire to participate in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Experts calculated how the presence of a pet in the bed affects the quality of sleep. In particular, they analysed the following factors:

• fatigue
• long time to fall asleep
• insufficient sleep
• drowsiness.

The study found that people who are used to sleeping with cats often suffer from involuntary leg twitching while falling asleep, and many dog owners have suffered from various sleep disorders.

There is no definitive answer to explain the negative impact of pets on the sleep of their owners. This is probably due to the fact that animals are active at night and can interfere with rest.

People who have chronic sleep problems are advised to pay attention to the fact that the appearance of a cat or dog in the family can only aggravate insomnia.

Earlier, OBOZREVATEL told why it has long been believed that cats should not be allowed in bed at night.

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