Podcast Transcript
John Horton:
Hello and welcome to another Health Essentials podcast. I’m John Horton, your co-host today, along with my dog Charlie, a 12-year-old furry ball, who is very interested in our next topic. The reason is that we are going to discuss whether pets should share a bed with their favorite humans. As you might have guessed, Charlie has a strong opinion on the subject. He is, however, a bit biased. We therefore ask Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer, a specialist in sleep medicine, to join us and provide us with her comments. She is one of the many trusted Cleveland Clinic experts who participates in our weekly podcast to answer health-related questions. So, with that in mind, let’s see where Charlie should be sleeping tonight. Welcome to the podcast, Dr. Foldvary-Schaefer, thank you for saving time for us today.
Dr. Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer:
Absolutely.
John Horton:
So, as you might have guessed from my co-host here, today’s topic is a personal one in the Horton household. I guess though, this isn’t the first time you’ve been asked to sleep with a pet.
Dr. Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer:
It is not the first time.
John Horton:
And I see it seems like a lot of people do it naturally. We are so attached to these little creatures. I think I’ve seen one thing where 50 percent of dog owners say they sleep with their pet. So I guess let’s cut to the chase here, which is that sleeping with your pet is something that sleep experts recommend doing.
Dr. Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer:
By the way, sleep experts, hello Charlie. Sleep experts will recommend optimal sleep hygiene. Optimal sleep hygiene therefore consists of collectively integrating healthy habits, healthy behaviors and the right environmental factors to guarantee a good night’s sleep. And so usually that means not having objects or friends in bed that shouldn’t be there. And so in general, we recommend that Charlie not sleep in your bed.
John Horton:
Aw, that’s bad news for you Charlie. So Charlie wants to eliminate the bad news first. So let’s start with the reasons why it’s not a good idea to have pets as bedfellows.
Dr. Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer:
Yeah, well, pets can affect sleep quality. So when animals move, people often wake up. Many of our patients wake up repeatedly during the night because an animal is repositioning, fidgeting, barking or needs to get up to be taken out. So there’s this sleep disruption component that can happen with pets in the room. There are also other medical issues. Many people with sleep disorders and sleeping problems also suffer from allergies. People with asthma can have their allergies and asthma activated by the constant presence of animals around them, including in their bed. It is certain that we are exposed to germs when we have pets in bed. So these are general secondary issues that play a role in getting a good night’s sleep.
John Horton:
Well, I think Charlie is generally pretty good, but there’s been more than one occasion where he growled when I moved out when he didn’t like it. So I certainly understand what you are saying. So it’s not looking good for Charlie right now. Sorry, buddy. But let’s talk about some of the potential benefits that could come from sleeping with a pet.
Dr. Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer:
Well, again, I think it’s about individualizing our sleep strategies. Some people are actually really good sleepers, and they love having a pet in bed, and the pet really doesn’t contribute to any sleep issues. They are happiest with the animal in the bed. The pet helps them relax at night and maybe even feel more secure in their surroundings by having a pet in the bed. And if the animal has no health or sleeping problems, that’s probably fine. It’s really for people who have sleep problems that we don’t recommend having Charlie in bed. So, looks like you’re doing well with Charlie in bed.
John Horton:
Well I have to say he’s like a professional sleeper and I found that out after I started working from home where he spends over 20 hours a day I think so I’m trying to learn from him .
Dr. Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer:
It’s your sleeping coach.
John Horton:
He is. He is. So if you’re going to sleep with your pet, are there things you can do to create a setup that will increase your chances of getting a good night’s sleep?
Dr. Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer:
Yeah, absolutely. And these are an extension of normal sleep hygiene, which are the things that we practice to promote a good night’s sleep, but we discover them on our own, they are individualized. So, for example, if we’re concerned about allergens, you could invest in an air filter for your bedroom. You can choose a different type of bed or a larger bed so that there are defined places: here is my space and here is Charlie’s. And if one of us moves, we don’t disturb the other. You need to think about the cleanliness of the sheets, your bedding, as well as the pet’s, and just monitor and make changes over time.
John Horton:
Are there things you could even do – because as you said sometimes animals tend to get up in the middle of the night – could you even adjust your bedtime a bit and maybe working for a wake up call at 2:00 a.m. for a drink of water?
Dr. Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer:
Yeah, absolutely. If your brain allows it. Some people are very flexible sleepers and can wake up and fall asleep very quickly. Others, once awakened by something in the environment, will have an hour or two of difficulty falling back to sleep. Again, this is something that needs to be individualized.
But if you read about sleep before the invention of the light bulb, there was this concept of two sleeps: the first one was sleeping three to four hours in the early evening, then there was a natural awakening for one to two hours. . period when people were waking up and actually doing things and then going back to sleep for another four hours. And some modern scientists believe that this concept of insomnia is partly because we as humans somehow force ourselves to sleep during these specific times and expect to sleep well whereas human biology has not always been so.
So for those who have the ability to fall asleep a little earlier, expecting to wake up in the middle of the night, they can fall back asleep after that to take full advantage of seven to eight hours. of sleep, I think that’s perfectly fine.
John Horton:
Well, that sounds like something I might be willing to do to keep Charlie in his place.
Dr. Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer:
Oh.
John Horton:
Do you have any advice on how I can – I know, he’s a cool little guy – so do you have any advice on how I can prevent him from taking the place of a Saint Bernard? ‘Cause I don’t know how he does it, but he takes up half the bed at 13 pounds.
Dr. Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer:
Yes, it’s a challenge, it’s the same with other human partners and it’s not that different from when the kids want to come into your room, into your bed at night. I think it’s just about setting limits. If you can be consistent about where Charlie should sleep and his habits, pets and children will be okay with that too. So I think consistency with your expectations could eventually lead to a standard practice that Charlie would adhere to.
John Horton:
All right. Well, I hope we’ll both work on the advice you gave us. So before we say goodbye, do you have anything else to add regarding sharing a bed with a pet?
Dr. Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer:
I would just say it’s really an individual choice, but it’s important to recognize if you’re sharing a bed with a pet and it’s affecting your sleep quality. Because sleep is essential for health and well-being, it is critically important for cardiovascular health, metabolic health, and brain health. And while we love our pets, it’s important not to let poor sleep affect your long-term health.
John Horton:
Very good advice. But at this point, I think Charlie dragged me in, so I’m not sure I can straighten him out. So, thank you so much for being with us today, and Charlie and I both appreciate all the good advice.
Dr. Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer:
You are welcome. Goodbye Charlie.
John Horton:
Pets bring a lot of joy into our lives and can be wonderful companions. But when it comes to sharing your bed with your pet, think about it. They can look a lot less cute when they’re grumbling about who has the sheets at 2 a.m. Until next time, be well.
Speaker 3:
Thank you for listening to Health Essentials, presented by Cleveland Clinic and Cleveland Clinic Children’s. To make sure you never miss an episode, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or visit clevelandclinic.org/hepodcast. This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own doctor.