Is it bad to let my pet sleep in my bed?

Jane Sykes

Q: Is it okay to let my pet sleep in my bed?

A: Sleeping with pets isn’t new; people have been doing it for thousands of years for warmth and protection from predators. The term “three-dog night” - which describes a night so cold that three dogs are needed for warmth - is thought to have been coined by Australian aborigines, who slept with dingoes.

Now that we have heat, locking doors and other modern conveniences, we no longer need a dingo to keep us safe and warm. But many people - about half of pet owners - still share a bed with their pet. For most people, that’s perfectly fine. In some situations, though, pets can disturb sleep, trigger allergies and bring ticks, fleas and germs into bed. You have to decide whether the pros of co-sleeping outweigh the cons. But you can set yourself up for success by keeping your pet healthy and creating conditions that minimize sleep disturbance.

Are there health benefits?

In some cases, yes. Trained service dogs can bring relief from terrifying nightmares for people with post-traumatic stress disorder. Sleeping with pets also can provide comfort and reduce anxiety and loneliness. Other potential health benefits of close contact with pets - including co-sleeping - include improved cardiovascular health, especially reduced blood pressure.

Does it affect your sleep?

Well, yes. Having a pet in the bed with you can disrupt your sleep, and it’s well documented that not getting enough good sleep can affect your health. “Any of the health benefits of pet contact are likely to be negated if you’re not getting restorative quality sleep,” said Allison Brager, who studies sleep cycles at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Your sleep is more likely to be disrupted if you have a very large, sprawling or hyperactive dog; multiple pets in the bed; a sick pet or puppy that needs to be let out often; a pet that lies very close to you (perhaps even on your face); or a cat.

Cats might be more likely to disrupt sleep than dogs because they’re more active at night. Exhausted owners have plenty of tales of cats howling for hours, nibbling or pawing at their faces, or pacing and deliberately knocking things over. But dogs also have quirks. They cycle through REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and wakefulness way more often than humans, so if you have a dog that paddles and twitches violently while dreaming - like my dog - your sleep might be disrupted as often as 20 times a night.

If you’re already a lousy sleeper, sharing your bed with your pet might not negatively impact your sleep quality. For women (who are more likely to have insomnia than men) and people with chronic pain, the relaxing effect of co-sleeping with a pet might even result in a better night’s sleep.

Can it lead to other health problems?

Pets can bring dander, cat saliva, plant components (even poison oak) and mold spores into the bed with you - which can trigger an allergic reaction.

They also can carry mites, ticks and fleas, which bite humans and can transmit diseases like Lyme disease, rickettsioses and even plague. And co-sleeping could put immunocompromised people, and those who have open wounds or medical devices, at greater risk of bacterial infections (see my column on licking). It’s also best not to let pets sleep with infants.

Although not well studied, having a pet in bed with you might also have negative effects on intimacy with a human bed partner (especially if your partner would rather have a pet-free bed).

How can I make it easier?

First off, make sure you have a bed that’s large enough to accommodate everyone. And keep your thermostat at a comfortable temperature - most people sleep best between 65 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

You can also minimize allergens, parasites and bacteria. I recommend washing and changing your bedding at least weekly (more often if your pet spends a lot of time outdoors, sheds a lot or has been ill). You should also bathe your pet regularly. For reluctant cats (that is, most cats), wipe them down before bed with a clean damp cloth to remove dander, loose hair and saliva. See your vet for a regular parasite prevention program that’s tailored to your region.

Take your dog out for a bathroom break just before bedtime (your dog might also sleep more soundly after some exercise). And stick to a bedtime routine to help your pet settle down.

If3 you’re not sure if your pet is impacting your sleep, consider using a personal sleep-monitoring device when your pet is on - and off - the bed. If you sleep poorly with your pet in the bed, if you have a disgruntled partner or if you’re immunocompromised, it might be best to transition your pet to its own bed - either in the same room or another part of the house.

• Jane Sykes is a professor of veterinary medicine at the University of California at Davis. She is a board-certified specialist in small animal (dog and cat) internal medicine with a special interest in infectious diseases. She is the proud owner of two Labrador retrievers (Flora and Bodhi) and an orange tabby cat (Freckles).