Sharing a bed with a pet may offer emotional comfort, but researchers warn it could come at the cost of a good night's sleep.
Melissa Milanak, a sleep health expert at the Medical University of South Carolina, said many of her patients report being disturbed by their pets during the night. “You can’t say that hands down, it’s bad for every single person, but there is a lot out there saying it negatively impacts your sleep,” she said.
While pet ownership has been linked to reduced stress and increased physical activity, experts highlight that animals’ natural sleep cycles differ from humans’. Dogs are often light sleepers who wake multiple times and may scratch at bedding—disruptions that can prevent owners from reaching deep sleep, even if they don’t fully wake up. Cats, meanwhile, are typically most active at dawn and dusk, with many owners experiencing early morning wake-ups due to so-called "zoomies."
Milanak also pointed to allergens like pet dander and microbes that can affect breathing and interfere with sleep.
Brian Chin, a professor of social and health psychology at Trinity College in Connecticut, said his research found a strong link between co-sleeping with pets and poor sleep outcomes. “Particularly those dimensions of sleep quality and insomnia symptoms,” he said, adding that some pet owners may underreport disturbances out of affection for their animals. “I hate to even admit that my cat disrupts my sleep at all,” said Chin, who owns two cats—one of whom regularly wakes him.
Chin also found that people with multiple pets experienced more significant sleep disruption.
Addressing the issue isn’t straightforward. Milanak noted that for many, having pets in bed is a deeply ingrained sleep habit. “It’s like if I said to somebody, you need to stop smoking,” she said. “They’re going to give me all the reasons why they want to continue smoking.”
She suggests solutions such as placing a pet bed nearby or keeping pets out of the bedroom altogether. For those unwilling to change, more frequent sheet washing and adjusting one’s own sleep schedule to align with a pet’s routine may help. “Maybe you need to go to bed earlier so you can get up earlier to accommodate the pet,” she said.
Still, some pet owners are unwilling to give up the nighttime companionship. Angela Wilson of Cobb County, Georgia, said her golden retriever, Sadie, insists on sleeping in her bed despite being offered alternatives. “People complain about their dogs waking them up, but she doesn’t wake me up,” Wilson said. “She’s very gentle.”
Bd-pratidin English/FNC
