Study: Pets help your child sleep better at night!

Sleeping with pets is considered a bad idea. It's not just about their unresting sleep but also about the noises they make that can be considered unhealthy for human sleep. But not anymore! The latest research published in a journal called 'Sleep' found out that co-sleeping with pets improves the quality of sleep in children. Researchers at Concordia's Pediatric Public Health Psychology Lab (PPHP) found that the sleep quality of children sharing beds with their pets is much better than the ones who sleep alone. Sleeping with your pet can calm you down and give a greater sense of comfort and ease, especially among children. Now, your child can have his furry friend over for a sleepover, any time!
As innocent as it may be, children consider pets as their friends and therefore, find comfort while sleeping next to them. Sharing their bed with a pet brings positivity and sound sleep to children at night. Even amidst all the nocturnal activities of the animals, pets still don't inhibit the sound quality of sleep. Sometimes, it also has to do with the space available in children's beds as compared to adults because children feel less intrusive of the space their pets take.

Excellent stressbusters and feelings of security

Children share a friendly bond with their pets which is the ultimate source of stress reliever and happiness. Cuddling with the pets releases oxytocin in the body of the children that reduces stress and also enhances the happy hormones. Following this, the body lowers the release of stress chemical cortisol and helps children to have a good night's sleep. Additionally, sharing a bed with a pet provides helps children feel secure and safe. Kids believe their pets will fight off the monsters under their bed at night!
Improves sleep quality

A pets' body warmth, heartbeat, and caring nature help children feel very cosy and safe. This is why they tend to sleep soundly with their pets in bed. The sleep efficiency and routine of children sleeping with pets are much higher than the ones sleeping alone. While sharing a bed with pets, the brain promotes theta brainwaves that produce a calming effect in children while sleeping.

No wonder, children prefer their furry friend in bed, compared to parents!

INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOUR PET: Your dog can smell your feelings. In fact, your dog’s sense of smell is approximately 100,000 times better than yours. So it shouldn’t be shocking that they can in fact, smell things such as fear. When a human is fearful, they perspire, and a dog is easily able to pick up on this change.

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