Should You Allow Your Pets to Sleep on the Bed?

If you have a pet, chances are you treat them like they’re your own kids. That means lots of attention, great toys, and sometimes, a coveted snuggle spot in your bed. If the latter is true for you, you’re far from alone. A survey by the CDC found that 56-percent of dog owners and 62-percent of cat owners sleep with their fur-babies in bed.

A study by the Center for Sleep Medicine backs up these stats; in their study, 56% of pet owners overall let their pets sleep in the bedroom or in bed, and 41% of pet owners said it didn’t hurt their sleep at all. Pet owners reported feeling safer and calmer with their pets in bed, and some actually liked how warm their cats and dogs made the bed.

But have you ever wondered whether it’s actually healthy to sleep with your pet in your bed? People have different opinions on whether it’s a good choice or not, so let’s dive in.

If You Have Allergies, Think Twice

A lot of pet owners have mild allergies to their pets that can be managed on a daily basis. But these allergies can actually be exacerbated if you are sleeping next to your pet every night, even if it’s on a comfortable memory foam custom mattress or even a hypoallergenic latex foam bed. While you might vacuum your house every day, you probably only wash your sheets once a week.

So, if you are even slightly allergic to your pet, you probably want to avoid letting them sleep on the bed. After all, what good is that luxurious custom mattress if you wake up stuffy and sneezing during the night? Get your pets their own bed, and don’t fall for those (literal) puppy dog eyes when you make them stay in it.

Mattresses made of materials like latex foam can be especially good for allergy sufferers, but even they can only help so much when the source of said allergy is on top of the sheets right next to you.

Take Your Pet for Regular Checkups

Many people wonder if it is healthy to sleep with their pets. If your pet has their shots, tick medication, and is regularly checked by your veterinarian, it should generally be safe for you to sleep with your pet.

If you’re worried about your pet tracking in unwanted germs from outside and bringing them into bed, vets recommend a 50/50 mixture of rubbing alcohol and water to decontaminate paws. Keep them on top of the covers, too, since claws and nails can wreck your custom sheet sets.

Your Pet's Sleep Cycle Might Keep You Up

One problem with giving pets access to the bedroom is that they might keep you up at night. Dogs often kick and bark while dreaming, and depending on the breed, might take up way too much space. Cats are nocturnal by nature, and might try to nibble or claw at your toes when you move at night.

Animals actually sleep differently from us, and it could affect our own sleep cycle. Where humans are monophasic sleepers with one sleep cycle over 24 hours, dogs, for example, are polyphasic sleepers and average three sleep and wake cycles per night. And because of their protective instincts, dogs can stay alert for hours, even when sleeping, which makes them much lighter sleepers than we are.

You could have done everything right and set yourself up to enjoy the most restful night possible on your memory foam gel mattress topper, but a restless animal can put paid to all that.

Pets Can Make You Feel Safer

While your light-sleeping dog might annoyingly wake you up when they hear your kids come home or your partner sneaking a midnight snack, a study by Human Nature found that co-sleeping with your dog does provide a feeling of safety and security.

Knowing that your dog can wake you in case of an emergency is something that gives owners a little peace of mind. And with cats, there are the therapeutic benefits of purring and kneading. So, as long as they don’t wake you up at 2am with a paw to the face, screaming for food, your furry best friend can help you feel safe, which is key to enjoying a calm, restful sleep.

Pets can Enhance Relaxation and Help You Sleep Better

Many pet owners already know this, but having your pet in bed can actually be very relaxing and comforting. Sleeping deeply in your custom sized bed is the point, after all! Having something to snuggle and pet can both calm you down at the end of the day and keep you company. Now, these anecdotes are backed by stats.

A Mayo Clinic study found that 41-percent of pet owners reported sleeping better with them in bed. And researchers at the University of Alberta found that people had less anxiety while sharing a bed with pets: "They felt more relaxed and safer, so they weren’t anxious as they were trying to sleep.”

As long as you make arrangements for your pets and make sure that your bedding is in good shape, you can enjoy the benefits of snuggling up with your furry family member. A custom mattress protector for your bed is a great idea, just in case of any accidents, and investing in multiple custom fitted sheet sets so you can switch them out often and wash them frequently is a good idea too.

Your Pet Might Actually Sleep Better With You

None of us wants to watch our pets age, but nobody can fight time. As we get older, our bodies need things like custom memory foam mattresses and ergonomic pillows so we can physically function in the morning. Anyone with a cranky old cat or a German Shepherd with a bad hip knows that our pets start having the same problems as they get older, too. You can even find pet beds made of memory foam now.

So, if your pet isn’t cramping your sleep style, let them experience the comfort of your custom-made mattress, too. It’ll help ease their achy joints as much as it does yours. Or if you want to be really over-the-top, as many of us pet parents are, you could order smaller, custom-sized and shaped mattresses for your furry family members. Just saying!

Final Verdict: What the Custom Mattress Makers Have to Say

So, should you sleep with your pet in bed? The answer is just as unique to you as your custom bed is. But if your pet is healthy, clean, and they don’t take up too much of the bed or snore too loudly, chances are, you could have a great night's sleep beside them, no matter whether you sleep on an extra-long twin mattress or the ultimate wide Alaskan king bed.

Custom beds are kind of our whole thing at Custom Mattress Factory; we’ve made everything from v-berth yacht mattresses to notched corner semi-truck mattresses, and even beds for horse trailers. So, feel free to get as particular as you want with your custom mattress order – choose a split king mattress to cut off movement transfer, or a round mattress with no “edge” for your pet to push you off of. Go ahead – we love a challenge almost as much as we love crafting bespoke beds.

Sleep tight!