Study: Chronic Pain Sufferers Sleep Better With a Dog in the Bed

For chronic pain sufferers, sharing the bed with a dog actually improves the quality of sleep, a new University of Alberta study suggests.

Despite medical advice against sharing the bed with a dog, a new study by the University of Alberta suggests that those living with chronic pain actually get a better night’s sleep with their best furry friend by their side.

“Typically, people who have pain also have a lot of sleep problems, so usually if they ask their health-care provider about a pet, they’re told to get the pet out of the bedroom. But that standard advice can actually be damaging,” researcher Cary Brown of the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine explained to Phys.org.

The study concluded that, of people who suffered long-term chronic pain, crawling into bed with their dogs by their side was “overwhelmingly positive” for them, Brown said.

“They liked the physical contact with their dogs—cuddling before bed, and how it distracted them from feeling anxious about being alone at night. They felt more relaxed and safer so they weren’t anxious as they were trying to sleep. A sense of relaxation and caring are emotions that release positive hormones in our bodies that will help us sleep better.”

Brown added that having a dog in the bed also helped to ease the feelings of loneliness so common in those living with a chronic health issue.

“When you ask people to remove an animal they are in the habit of co-sleeping with, it could have consequences the health-care provider hasn’t considered,” Brown said. “For some people with chronic pain, their relationship with their pet could be the only one they have and the comfort that dog or cat produces would be lost. It’s equivalent to kicking their partner out of bed.”

The study also showed that dogs provide their human companions with a regular bedtime routine and daytime activity. “Those are two key things for sleep—you get up at the same time every day and you are active. If you take the pet out of the equation, you lose that,” said Brown.

The researcher also suggested that the recommendation to remove pets from the bedroom as part of good sleep hygiene isn’t evidence-based and needs more research.

Similarly, a 2017 study by Australian researchers at Central Queensland University showed that humans are far more likely to be awakened by another human partner during the night than by their dog. With nearly 70% of participants regularly awakened in the night, when given the option of sharing the bed with your partner or with your dog – your best bet is to snuggle up next to your four-legged friend.

What do you think? Do you share your bed with your dog? Do you sleep better with him next to you? Share your thoughts with us in a comment below.

More information: Cary Brown et al. Undercover Dogs: Pet Dogs in the Sleep Environment of Patients with Chronic Pain, Social Sciences (2018). DOI: 10.3390/socsci7090157