New Survey Finds Pet Parents Won't Be Sleeping Alone This Valentine's Day
A survey conducted by The Sleep Doctor, a leading sleep resource founded by Dr. Michael Breus, found that 73% of Americans don’t plan on sleeping alone this Valentine’s Day.
And in the cuddliest news ever, 31% of single Americans are gearing up to share their beds with someone on the special day, and by 'someone' we mean their beloved pet!
The survey also concludes that of those Americans surveyed, 16 percent anticipate sharing a bed with a dog on February 14th and 10% will be cuddling up with a cat.
Nobody asked me to participate in this survey, but for inquiring minds, I'll be sleeping with my husband, two full grown adult cats, one dog, and a new 12-week old kitten who insists upon chewing on my face all night. Talk about romance!
Related: Valentine's Day Flowers to Keep Away From Pets at All Costs
Dr. Michael Breus (PhD, FAASM), Founder of The Sleep Doctor says, "We sleep with two french bulldogs every night. As long as you don't get disrupted throughout the evening and you wake up refreshed, I'm fine with sleeping with an animal. That said I would stick to dogs or cats. Also if you want them in your bed or room, but not on top of you, I have found an easy trick: take a heating pad and put it under the covers near the foot of the bed and turn it on medium (obviously only do this if the manufacturer allows). Place your animal there once it warms up. Keep putting them back there throughout the evening, and they really do tend to stay in that area, and everyone sleeps well!”
I really am going to have to try that with my kitten because between the super loud purring and the face licking and biting, I'm really lacking on my beauty sleep.
How To Make Sure Your Dog Gets a Good Night's Sleep
Dr. Breus tip about the heating pad is fantastic, and here are some other things you can do to make sure your pup has a restful night.
Keeping your dog active during the day will make sure they have a restful sleep at night. A tired dog is a well-behaved dog, and dogs that have walks and playtime tend to have more hours of deep sleep. But you shouldn't engage in any high energy or super stimulating activities right before bedtime, because just like humans, dogs may then have a hard time falling asleep.
Try and maintain a consistent sleep schedule for your pup, keep their sleeping area quiet and dark, and try to keep the room temperature neither too hot or too cold.
Adjust their mealtimes when needed. Feeding several hours before bedtime allows them plenty of time to digest their food before sleeping. Serving dinner a few hours before bedtime also helps reduce the number of nighttime bathroom trips needed.
Hopefully these tips help your dog have a good night's sleep with plenty of sweet dreams, whether it's on Valentine's Day or any day of the year!!
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