When you crawl under the covers at night, does Fido curl up at the foot of the bed or find a spot between the pillows? If Fido’s in the bed, you’re not alone:More than 55% of pet ownersallow their pets to sleep with them.
一只猫在半夜走过你的脸，或者占用最大床垫空间的狗会破坏您的睡眠，但至少有四个科学支持的理由可以拥抱您的四足家人。
提供安全感
Whether you share your bed with a German shepherd or a Chihuahua, a 2018studyfound sleeping with a canine companion helped women feel more secure. Researcher Christy Hoffman, PhD, associate professor at Canisius College, suspects dogs are apt to alert their owners to potential threats, and their barking might scare off a potential intruder.
“The dog may allow humans to relax and feel the need to be less vigilant,” she says.
Women who shared a bed with their dogs also tended to go to bed earlier, wake up earlier in the morning and sleep better than those who slept solo. Sleeping with a cat or human partner did not provide similar benefits.
BOOSTS ‘FEEL GOOD’ HORMONES
拥抱狗releases oxytocin and dopamine，大脑中促进粘结和积极情绪并降低皮质醇水平，应激激素的化学物质。（压力会给43％的美国人带来损失reportingworries caused them to lie awake at night, leading to sleep deficits.)
The reductions incortisolthat come from bunking down with a four-legged bedmate, “result in a much more relaxing and potentially sleep-inducing situation,” says Michael Breus, PhD, clinical psychologist and sleep disorders specialist. “Much the same way getting a hug from someone you care about makes you feel good, sleeping next to your pet could have the same effect.”
ALLEVIATES ALLERGIES
Letting your “fur babies” curl up with your children could keep them from developing allergies. Research found children who lived with dogs hadbetter immune functionandfewer allergies那些接触狗和猫的人有一个lower risk of asthmathan those who lived in pet-free homes. If you have allergies, consider banishing your fur babies to their own beds.
“[Your] pet-related allergies may outweigh any psychological benefits associated with co-sleeping with a pet,” Hoffman says.
IMPROVES SLEEP QUALITY
A dog that snores or a cat that engages in middle-of-the-night grooming could cause you to wake up more often, but most pet owners sleep better if their pets are nearby. In a 2018study, researchers put movement detectors on humans and dogs to monitor sleeping patterns and found that though pet owners who slept with their dogs woke up more often during the night than those whose dogs slept elsewhere, the quality of their sleep did not suffer.
THE BOTTOM LINE
If your pet prefers snuggling up with you to stretching out in its bed on the floor, go ahead and make room; science approves.
