A girl needs her beauty sleep – and according to a recent study, she’s more likely to get it with a dog lying next to her than a human.
Animal behaviorists from Canisius College set out to explore the impacts pets have on human sleep quality. They collected data from 962 women living in the United States. 55% shared their bed with at least one dog, and 31% with at least one cat.
In addition, 57% of participants also shared their bed with a human partner.
“Compared with human bed partners, dogs who slept in the owner’s bed were perceived to disturb sleep less and were associated with stronger feelings of comfort and security,” the study authors wrote. “(It) may be related to dogs’ abilities to deter intruders and warn their owners of potential threats.”
The researchers further speculated that dog moms were more likely to stick to a strict sleep schedule, and therefore enjoy better rest.
“Dog ownership and its associated responsibilities may cause individuals to adhere to a stricter routine. Keeping to a consistent sleep schedule may be beneficial to dog owners.”
When it comes to humans and felines, the results were far less soothing:
“Conversely, cats who slept in their owner’s bed were reported to be equally disruptive as human partners, and were associated with weaker feelings of comfort and security than both human and dog bed partners.”
Sorry kitties, looks like you’ll be joining the husbands on the couch!
H/T to Daily Mail
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via Whisker Therapy