Science Shows That Women Sleep Better Next To Dogs Than Men

It’s a no-brainer that sleep is vital for one’s health. That is why so many researchers study the best way to get good quality shut-eye. However, forget chamomile tea and meditating before bed. According to new research, women sleep better next to dogs. That’s right; Canisius College in New York State conducted a study that found that canines make better-sleeping partners than humans or cats.

“We found that women commonly rate dogs as better bed partners than cats and human partners and report that their dogs enhance their sleep quality,” Christy Hoffman, Ph.D., animal behaviorist and lead researcher of the study.

Research Finds that Women Sleep Better Next to Dogs 

Hoffman surveyed almost one thousand women living in the United States to come to these findings. The results showed that 55% of the participants shared their bed with at least one dog and 31% with at least one cat. Also, 57% of these women shared a bed with a human partner, while the rest did not. [1]

Hoffman also discovered why dogs seemed to make the best bed companions.  The first reason is that dogs’ sleeping patterns, as opposed to cats, more closely resemble those of humans.

“The difference between dogs and cats is not surprising because dogs’ major sleep periods tend to coincide more closely with humans’ than do cats,’” said Hoffman.

However, while there may be benefits of these similar sleeping patterns, more research is needed to know for certain. But Hoffman has some ideas of how this could work.

In comparison to human bed partners, dogs may be better at accommodating their human’s sleep schedule,” she said. “It’s not uncommon for human bed partners to go to bed at very different times and wake up at very different times. Such differences in partners’ schedules can certainly disrupt sleep. It may be that dog bed partners adapt more readily to their owner’s schedule than do human bed partners.

Moreover, dogs require certain schedules and responsibilities, such as a morning walk. This kind of regime helps their owners maintain a routine, improving sleep quality as a result.

Stillness and Security

Additionally, dogs tend to stay stiff as they sleep. Anyone who’s slept with a fidgety partner knows how disruptive they could be. However, women in the study reported that their dogs stayed on the bed most of the night instead of felines, who tended to come and go.

This suggests that cats may be more likely than dogs to create disruptions by moving on and off the bed during the night. In addition, we found that dog owners kept to more consistent bedtime and wake time schedules than cat owners and also tended to go to bed earlier and wake up earlier than cat owners,” Hoffman said.

Here’s the third and most important reason: Canines provide a sense of security to their owners. More so than with cats or even human partners.

Some dog owners may take comfort in the thought that their dog will alert them in the case of an intruder or other type of emergency; furthermore, a dog’s bark may deter a potential intruder. A cat is less likely to take on this role, and so, may not provide psychological comfort in the same way a dog might,” said Hoffman.

The Best Partner for Quality Sleep

However, while the study suggests that dogs are the perfect slumber buddies, their benefits are subjective to each case. For example, a dog could snore or make the bed too hot. Additionally, there are many owners who find that their cats help them sleep.

Keep in mind that the research was based on how the volunteers perceive their pets’ effects on their sleeping quality and duration. As a result, more objective research is needed to definitively consider dogs the superior sleeping partners. However, Hoffman believes that these studies could be beneficial as many American households have pets.

It will be valuable to continue this line of research so we can develop a clearer picture of the contexts under which pets and their presence in their owner’s bed may positively impact sleep quality, and the contexts under which co-sleeping with a pet may be detrimental to one’s sleep quality,” she said.

For instance, research has also shown that women sleep better while alone than with a human, but many believe in the opposite. Future research could use Fitbit-like devices to objectively track the sleep quality of people in different sleeping conditions.

ONE OF PATRICK DEMPSEY’S TWIN SONS WAS CALLED “HIS CLONE” AND “THE NEXT MCDREAMY” AFTER THEY WALKED THE RED CARPET WITH HIM.

Recently, the actor Patrick Dempsey, who was once named the sexiest man alive and is now 57 years old, walked the red carpet with his wife and kids. They were all dressed up for the premiere of the movie Ferrari. Everyone looked really stylish, but one of Patrick’s 16-year-old twin sons, Darby, caught everyone’s attention.

What got people talking was how much Darby looks like his dad. Fans couldn’t believe the resemblance. One person said Darby looked like a clone of his dad. Another fan said he could be the next “McDreamy,” referring to a character his dad played on Grey’s Anatomy.

The truth is that good looks run in the Demspey family.

Patrick and his wife Jillian had their first child, a daughter named Talula, in 2002. Then a few years later, they welcomed twin boys, Darby and Sullivan, who are now 16 years old.

Patrick has talked about being a dad to three kids, saying that having a bigger family actually made things easier for him and his wife.

“In 2008, the Grey’s Anatomy actor said, “I love having a big family. I think it’s easier, oddly, in some ways, having three children as opposed to one. And it’s been great for my relationship with my wife and our life and everything.”

As his kids became teenagers, Patrick said things got tougher. Raising teens needs a lot of energy.

“They want their independence, which is normal,” he told People magazine in 2023. “They need to figure out how they fit into the world, make mistakes, and learn from them. As a parent, you need to be there for them through it all.”

After being a runner-up for years, Patrick was finally named “Sexiest Man Alive.”

“I’m glad it’s happening at this point in my life. It’s nice to have the recognition,” the actor said.

Asked how his children would react, McDreamy said they would probably tease him.

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