If there’s one thing many pet owners do, it’s allow them to climb on the bed to sleep with them. Although many people reject this habit, it is true that it is a very common practice in those who have dogs or cats, since sleeping with them gives a very pleasant feeling of peace and security.
However, after various scientific and veterinary investigations, specialists came to the conclusion that it is necessary to prevent pets from sleeping with their owners at night, due to various medical reasons.
Through a study by the Spanish Sleep Institute, it was discovered that about 14% of dogs and 33% of cats in our country sleep at night in bed with their owners. But the main problem with this, the research explains, is the enormous number of diseases that can be transmitted.
There are about 250 known zoonotic diseases, of which more than 100 can occur during the coexistence between people and their pets. Many of them occur when the animal licks its owner or when the person hugs and kisses his animal. The most familiar and likely are ringworm, roundworms, staph infections, and hookworm.
In addition, a collaborative study by universities in the United States and Australia showed that sleeping with pets directly affects the quality of a person’s sleep. This is mainly due to the lack of space and the constant alertness of the animals, especially dogs.
A 2021 analysis by ScienceDirect reached similar conclusions after surveying adolescents who slept with their pets. Although a third of those surveyed did not present sleep disturbances, the remainder admitted waking up constantly during the night due to the movements of their pets.
