Sharing Your Bed With a Dog Found Harmless
A new study reveals that sleeping next to your pet does not negatively affect your sleep duration or overall quality.
Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Dogs
Live Poll
Does sleeping with your pet in the bed improve or worsen your quality of sleep?
New research published in the journal PLOS One found that sharing a bed with a dog has no significant impact on human sleep quality or duration. Most pet owners also reported feeling a greater sense of safety when sleeping alongside their canine companions.
Why it matters
Understanding how pets influence nighttime rest helps families optimize their sleep environments and daily logistics. The study provides reassurance to pet owners who feel more secure with their animals nearby at night.
Researchers tracked 25 human participants and 38 dogs over a four-week study period using collar and wrist activity monitors. While bed-sharing showed no negative impact, owners with larger numbers of dogs in the home reported lower subjective sleep quality.
The players
PLOS One
An international peer-reviewed journal that publishes original research across a broad range of scientific disciplines.
University of Toronto
A leading public research institution in Canada that participated in the multi-site study.
Duke University
A major private research university in North Carolina where study co-authors conducted their analysis.
The details
Researchers utilized time-series analysis to compare activity data from sensors worn by both humans and dogs throughout the night. The findings indicate that nighttime activity levels between the two species were synchronized, with human movement often occurring shortly before the dogs adjusted their positions. This suggest a high degree of correlation in rest-activity cycles for co-sleeping pairs.
Timeline
October 2026: The study was published in the journal PLOS One.
The Home Front
This study follows the methodology established by the National Institutes of Health's Sleep Research Program to examine how environmental factors affect circadian rhythms. It provides data for families weighing the subjective benefit of security against the logistical reality of multi-pet households.
If you are concerned about your sleep quality, consider tracking your activity alongside your dog to see if movement patterns are disrupting your rest. Households with multiple pets should note that subjective sleep quality may decrease as the total number of dogs in the bedroom increases.
The takeaway
Sharing a bed with a dog is generally neutral for your sleep duration and quality, despite common concerns about nighttime interruptions. If you feel more secure with your dog nearby, you can continue the habit without worrying that it is undermining your rest.
Further reading
For more information on managing your pet's needs at home, visit Dogs.
Live Poll
Does sleeping with your pet in the bed improve or worsen your quality of sleep?
