Pets are great companions to have if you’re an animal lover or if you live by yourself. They can keep you company, they’re loving and fun to play with, and you provide a home to an animal who needed companionship; everyone wins!
Some people are close enough to their pets that they sleep with them. This is natural, and in fact a popular idea in most pet owner’s minds. A lot of dog owners will let their dog sleep on the bed with them for company and comfort. While this is fine, there are precautions that should be considered before you decide to let your pets sleep with you.
General Concerns When Sleeping with your Pets
Sleeping with your pets may seem like a harmless act at first, but you’re going to have to think again. There are some reasons for concern behind allowing your furry friend climb onto the bed with you.
1. Possible Allergies and Asthma
Some people have pet allergies from fur which means pets, in the first place, is not a good idea. Even with this fact, some people still get pets and manage to balance their allergies with their interaction with pets. Sleeping with your pet, however, is not a good idea.
You can even develop some sort or allergic reaction to their fur if you’re exposed to them for too long. Some people even suffer from asthma which won’t be helped if you have a pet sleeping with you. The fur and pressure of them near you can close up your airways which can trigger an asthma attack. It’s better in this case to have them sleep in a room different from yours.
2. Your Pets Bring Home the Outdoors
Everything your pet does outside will be brought back into the house with them. There are some severe diseases pets can bring from outside. You can, of course, bathe them and give them vaccines to ensure they don’t bring anything with them when they come home. But just sometimes, something will sneak in with them and it can spread as soon as it reaches your home. You’re most vulnerable when you are sleeping, so it’s better to not let them near you at night.
This is very important for children who have a weaker immune system. If your pet gets too cuddly with them, they can develop illnesses and allergies against them.
3. Interrupted Sleep
As much as they love you, your pets won’t care if they’re interrupting your sleep. They’ll come and bounce on the bed, roll over, and take up space based on their own preference. Cats, in particular, are hard to find a set schedule with. They like to sleep throughout the day and then run around at night.
Do keep in mind that the scratching, whimpering, kicking, and movement isn’t your pet’s fault. It can happen with anyone. If you want them nearby at night then give them a separate bed in your room so they are close, but not close enough to interrupt your sleep.
4. Aggression & Dominance
Some pets will develop an ‘ego’ and attitude towards you once they realize they can have the bed to themselves. Cats and , in particular, are highly territorial and dominant animals who will mark what they believe to be theirs. You don’t want them growling or hissing you off of the bed.
You can give them a part of the bed or their own bed, but don’t let them get used to sleeping on the bed by themselves.
5. There’s No Relationship Without Your Pets
Bringing your pets to bed is not something you can simply stop. Once it has become routine for them to join you, they have no intention of breaking that pattern. This means they won’t enjoy when your partner comes to bed. You might not be allowed any personal time without your pet there, and in some cases, your pet could end up growling and warding off any newcomers to the bed.
General Benefits When Sleeping with your Pets
Against all the bad, there is some good that you can have if you monitor your sleep interaction with your furry friends.
1. Stress Reduction
That’s right! While you sleep with your pet, you can improve your overall mood and stress! When you sleep with someone nearby, you feel relaxed and peaceful, so sleep comes easier. This includes sleeping with your pets. Having their loving presence near you during the night can help calm you down and relieve any tense emotions you take to bed.
People who suffer from depression, insomnia, anxiety, and general stress can benefit when they have a buddy to snuggle with while they go to sleep. It can even calm down your pet having you near when they go to sleep, though it’s not as easy to notice this in them than it is you.
2. Security Throughout the Night
As silly as it may seem, pets can help give you a sense of security. The emotional and physical impact there is when you have someone near you at night is immense. There’s no going back when you sleep with your pet nearby you. You’ll automatically feel safer and protected when there is another person (or pet) asleep with you.
Some people even seek a furry companion for this very reason, they hate being alone at night.
3. Comfort and Warmth for the Both of You
The lull when someone is near you at night is hypnotic. It helps everyone sleep better and warmer. You won’t be on edge as you would be when you sleep by yourself. Pets are warmer than people are, so having them nearby can keep you feeling warm in the night, and not alone.
Keep your room cool and your pets nearby to get the best type of sleep at night.
4. Stronger Relationship Between You and Your Pets
Having your pet sleep in your bed with you creates a stronger, more emotional bond between you and your companion. Your pet enjoys being near you and allowing them to sleep with you will relax them and create a greater sense of trust in you.
Most people have normal day schedules which means they are always out when the sun is up and only come home when night dawns. To make up for lost time with your friend, a good night’s sleep with them can go a long way and ensures you both know you’re there for one another.
Tips About Sleeping with your Pets
There is always a certain way you can get things done to make sure they’re done better. When it comes to where your pets sleep, it’s a good idea to plan it out beforehand. Whether you want your pets to sleep on the bed or not, a routine should take place.
— Tip 1: Designate Them A Spot to Sleep
From the first day your pet comes home, give them a specific spot where they are allowed and expected to sleep. This could be on the bed if you’re up to sleeping with your pets, or this could be on a bed purchased separately for them. Even if they’re not to sleep on the bed, this pet-bed can be in your room or somewhere nearby.
It’s best to give them their own designated space before they try to track one out for themselves. If you don’t, it might be your carpet or sofa they claim for themselves. It’s best to train them at a young age or when they first come to your home.
— Tip 2: Get the Right Mattress
Before your pet comes home, get a mattress that will fit you and your pet comfortably. There should be strong edge support in case either of your roll around and some sort of motion isolation. A memory foam or latex mattress would be the right choice in this case.
If you don’t plan on having your pet sleep with you, then your goal is to look for a pet bed that is comfortable and big enough for them to love. Don’t keep this bed too far away from yours if they are small since they may be a little scared in their first few nights. Once they are older, you can invest in a stronger and more durable bed that will last them a lifetime.
— Tip 3: No Playing at Night
If your pet wakes up in the night and they want to play, you need to say no. Night is the time when they are supposed to be asleep, and so are you. To get them in the proper routine of sleeping, make nights as boring as they can possibly be, so they understand there is no play or fun when the sun’s not up.
Before they go to bed, make sure they go out to avoid late night ‘bathroom breaks.’ There is also a chance of your pet wetting the bed, so as a precaution, keep a waterproof cover over your bed.
— Tip 4: Create a Set Schedule
This does not just apply to the night; this applies to the whole day. If your pet has a more fulfilling day then they’ll want to rest throughout the night themselves. Make sure they get their time to eat, play, and go out to do their business.
If they don’t have a good day, they won’t have a good night and their schedule with go haywire. If they’re not sleeping, then the likeliest scenario is that you’re not going to sleep anytime soon. Create a steady schedule with your pets so they stay happy and healthy with you.
Different Types of Pets
There are all kinds of pets you can have, some of which you can sleep with, others not so much. Here are just a few of the more common ones that will sometimes try to climb onto the bed.
— Dogs
Man’s best friend, this is one pet that almost everyone wants to sleep with at night. Some dogs will like to cuddle with you at night, others just want a cozy spot on the bed. But there are some things you have to watch out for before you invite your canine onto the mattress with you.
To avoid a smelly bed in the morning, have your dog go out before coming to bed. Dogs can also become territorial over the bed and with this, aggressive. It’s best to discourage this kind of attitude in your dog at an early stage. Here are some ways you can do this:
- Encourage them with a treat or reward if they go to the right spot on the bed. If you don’t want them to sleep on the bed at all, then place their rewards with their bed and only give it to them when they come to sleep there.
- If treats aren’t what convince your puppy, then block them with pillows, blankets, or your limbs so they can’t get to your side of the bed. Don’t block them playfully either, otherwise they’ll assume it’s a game and they’ll pursue this behavior.
- Be assertive with your dog and direct them where they are and aren’t allowed to sleep. Also give them a sense of time for when they are allowed on the bed and when it becomes off limits.
Repeat all of these steps over and over again until your dog automatically understands what it can and cannot do.
Dogs can sleep for up to 12-14 hours every day. This gives you plenty of time to sleep with them without them waking up before you do and disrupting your hours of rest.
You may be interested in: How to Stop Your Dog from Sleeping in Bed
— Cats
A cat can either sleep on the bed or not. Once you’ve given them the opportunity, there is no going back. If you decide that they can sleep on the bed, then it’s time to be vigilant about when they can sleep on the bed. If you want them out of the bedroom, then lock the room every time you leave, or when you need some peace and quiet.
Trying to force them away from the bed can ruin their routine. They’ll cry, howl, scratch, and paw your door to get back in. They won’t leave you alone because once they sleep on the bed, it becomes theirs too.
If you don’t want your cat sleeping on the bed, then give them their own comfortable bed that has some pleasant distractions that’ll keep their mind off of your bed. Place their bed by a window or have some hanging toys they can tire themselves out with.
Cats sleep 15 hours a day. This gives more than enough time to rest with them and wake up fresh. If your cat is older then they might even sleep for 20 hours.
— Birds
You may love your adorable bird, but the answer is no. You can’t sleep with your birds. You shouldn’t even have them in the same room you sleep in. Birds sleep in intervals of mere minutes. They wake up in the middle of the night, make a little noise, and then go back to sleep. This can completely disrupt your sleep if your bird sleeps near you.
Bird feces can also aerosolized into the air which can ruin the interior lining of your lungs permanently. Some people are more sensitive to this and therefore risk developing hypersensitivity pneumonitis (bird keeper’s lungs).
Your bedroom should be a place free of your bird. Clean their cage routinely and place an air filter nearby where it can keep the air nice and free of any bird feces floating around.
— Other pets
Some other fun pets to have around are ferrets, frogs, snakes, gerbils and hamsters, and rabbits. These pets are all cute and will love you just as much as you love them, but that doesn’t mean they should be anywhere near your bed.
Snakes and frogs need to stay in their cages since its regulated at a temperature that suits them best. Other small mammals would be safer sleeping on a bed or in some sort of cage where they can’t get to you. Whether you are aware of them being on the bed or not, there is always the possibility that you can roll over them at night. Since they are so small, the weight will kill them almost immediately by means of suffocation.
Rabbits, ferrets, and gerbils all have a different sleeping pattern which may not add up with yours, so it’s best to give them their own space so they don’t wake you up.
You may want to read: How to Pet-Proof Your Bedroom
Final Thoughts
Everyone loves their pets. Once you bring them home, they become a part of the family. Just as you would sleep with your partner, your kids, and your family, some people are completely fine with sleeping with their pets. While there can be some reasons against this kind of behavior, there are just some puppy eyes you can’t say no to.
Take care when you sleep with your pets to make sure neither of you are hurt in any way. Watch out for younger children sleeping with pets since there are always more frightening results with children being harmed by allergies and suffocation. Your pets don’t ever want to hurt you, but they can’t express things like people can. It’s better safe than sorry when it comes to pets coming into your personal sleeping space.