Sleep Tip #10: The Benefits of Pets

Best Mattress loves our furry critter friends and the companionship they provide.

In honor of National Pet Day, which was on April 11^th, we’d like to highlight the advantages of sleeping with pets. Although some pets have been known to wake their owners, a recent study at the Mayo Clinic Center for Sleep Medicine in Arizona indicates that, more often, pets in the bed help their owners to get a good night’s rest.

Among the study participants, only 1 in 5 complained of being woken by their pets. 41% actually confirmed that their pets don’t disturb them at all, and even help them sleep. (The remaining number of pet owners did not allow their pets to sleep in the bed.)

While these results may seem counterintuitive, there are actually factors which may explain them. The presence of pets is well documented as an effective method of stress relief, allowing their owners to relax. Since relaxation is key to getting a good night’s sleep, pets are likely to be able to help in this area. Many also find the company of pets reassuring, which gives them a sense of security as they sleep. After all, if anything unusual happened, a dog or cat would be the first to react.

Allowing your pet to sleep with you may even make them less disruptive during the night. Dogs in particular can adopt a sleep pattern that matches their owner’s, which would prevent nighttime restlessness. If you don’t allow your pet in the bed, it might be time to consider trying it.

At Best Mattress, we love pets, and we know how strong the bond between an animal and its owner can be. We recently had the opportunity to host a booth at Mix 94.1 Petapalooza where we took pictures and gave away a PetCo gift gard. We were also able to support the pet adoption program Pick of the Litter recently by offering a dog bed to go with the pet of the week. Our best wishes go out to all your furry, scaled, and feathery friends! Visit our Facebook page to find out more about how Best Mattress supports pets and pet owners.