Contributing Author – Krista Harper (08-29-2019)
There is a reason why your dog may be your best friend. Dogs are a highly social animal much like humans and they have similar fears and anxieties that influence their sleep habits. So, while you struggle to fall asleep at night or notice your dog pacing and wandering the house at all hours, there may be an underlying issue causing restless sleep.
But, fear not, here are three ways to help you and your dog sleep better at night.
Go for a walk before bed
You likely understand the benefit of wearing your dog out before going to bed. The nightly walk is a ritual in many households. This is because your dog likely has a lot of pent up energy, especially if your pet is stuck in a house all day while you’re at work. Well, an evening of exercise plays a much bigger role to improve sleep than just tuckering the two of you out. Exercise provides several key benefits to induce sleep. For example, endorphins released during exercise provide energy, but they also provide a positive disposition and help to reduce stress and anxiety which are culprits when it comes to insomnia. It is also suggested that your body’s temperature increase during exercise and decrease directly after aid in telling your body it is time to sleep.
Let your dog sleep in your bed
People and dogs are both social creatures and we have a fundamental need to be touched and feel the comfort of another. Touch, as in cuddling, helps us and your dog feel secure, loved and comfortable. Add to that the warmth of cuddling with your pet and you’ll see why research has recently shown that sleeping with your dog, while it may not increase the time that you sleep, does impact the quality of your sleep. Of course, this comes with a few caveats such as keeping your dog’s tail out of your face and the morning wakeup call… at 5:00 in the morning.
Use a white noise machine
When trying to find better ways to sleep, white noise machines are often forgotten, or in many cases people don’t know they even exist. What a white noise machine does is blends the surrounding sounds so that all you hear is a soothing sound. So, those birds chirping, the sirens running down the street, and your neighbor talking outside your door, become less distracting. At night as you lay in bed, your mind will pick up on the subtlest of sounds which can often lead to sleep disruption. A white noise machine can do a great job of limiting those distractions for both you and your dog.
Sleep aids in managing your thoughts, emotions, memories, regulating chemicals and hormones in your body as well as repairs damage to your body. Getting adequate sleep – 7-plus hours each night – is important for you and your dog. Proper exercise, white noise, and of course cuddling can all play a role an important role in your nightly routine.