Women sleep better next to their dogs than their partners, study reveals
15 December 2023, 12:06
It's bad news for spouses as research finds women sleep more soundly next to their dogs.
Who you share a bed with can change your sleep pattern and sleep quality in a severe way.
And choosing to snuggle up to your partner, your cat or your dog can make all the difference in how soundly you sleep at night.
But which is the best? Well, as far as getting a good night of sleep for women, it's the dog you want in the bed.
That's right, research has found that women sleep more soundly when sharing a bed with a dog, rather than a spouse or a cat.
The study took place at Canisius College in New York and found that canines are better bed partners than humans – sorry girlfriend, boyfriends, husbands and wives!
Christy Hoffman, PhD, animal behaviourist and lead researcher of the study told Healthline: "We found that women commonly rate dogs as better bed partners than cats and human partners and report that their dogs enhance their sleep quality."
The study looked into the sleeping habits of 1,000 women from across the US, and also pinpointed some reasons why they found the results they did.
Firstly, dogs are thought to make better sleeping partners because they have more similar sleeping habits to humans than cats. As well as this, dogs are thought to be more accommodating to their human's sleep patterns.
Hoffman explained: “In comparison to human bed partners, dogs may be better at accommodating their human’s sleep schedule. It’s not uncommon for human bed partners to go to bed at very different times and wake up at very different times.
"Such differences in partners’ schedules can certainly disrupt sleep. It may be that dog bed partners adapt more readily to their owner’s schedule than do human bed partners.”
When it comes to actually sleeping together in the bed, dogs are also less disruptive in general as they do not move much in their sleep.
Canines also scored higher on comfort and security than both cats and humans
Hoffman explained: "Some dog owners may take comfort in the thought that their dog will alert them in the case of an intruder or other type of emergency; furthermore, a dog’s bark may deter a potential intruder.
"A cat is less likely to take on this role, and so, may not provide psychological comfort in the same way a dog might."
Sorry partners, you're on the sofa for now!
Read more:
- This Maine Coon cat is so big people often mistake him for a dog
- You can now buy a human-size dog bed that's perfect for napping
- Why you should never kiss your dog on its mouth, according to an expert
