Few pet questions divide households quite like this one: Should your dog sleep in your bedroom or in your bed?

Some dog owners say having their pet nearby helps them feel calm and comfortable at night. Others imagine a very different scene: dog hair everywhere, constant movement, snoring and a night of interrupted sleep.

For years, the debate has largely been based on personal experience.

But researchers at the Mayo Clinic decided to look more closely at what actually happens when people sleep near their dogs.

Their findings suggest the answer is not as simple as saying that dogs either improve sleep or ruin it.

In fact, for many people, having a dog in the bedroom may not significantly interfere with sleep at all. However, there appears to be a small difference between having a dog in the bedroom and allowing the dog to sleep on the bed.

The 2015 Mayo Clinic Survey

One of the earlier studies came from Dr. Lois Krahn and colleagues at the Mayo Clinic Center for Sleep Medicine in Scottsdale, Arizona.

In 2015, the researchers surveyed 150 adults and published their findings in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Of those participants, 74 had pets.

More than half of those pet owners, about 56 percent, allowed their animals to sleep either in their bedroom or directly on the bed.

The researchers wanted to understand whether having pets nearby actually created sleep problems for their owners.

The results were more reassuring than some pet owners might expect.

Only about 20 percent of pet owners described their animals as disruptive during the night.

The reasons varied.

Some pets wandered around the room. Others snored, whimpered or needed to go outside to use the bathroom.

These behaviors could obviously become frustrating for someone trying to get a full night’s rest.

But the majority of pet owners did not consider their animals a significant problem.

Some Owners Actually Felt Better With Their Pets Nearby

Among people who allowed their pets to sleep with them, 41 percent said having the animal nearby was either not a problem or was actually beneficial to their sleep.

Some participants described feeling more secure and relaxed when their pets were nearby.

That sense of comfort appeared to be particularly meaningful for some people who slept alone.

For these owners, the presence of a familiar animal may have created a greater feeling of security at bedtime.

However, the researchers were careful about what could and could not be concluded from the survey.

The study relied on participants describing their own experiences.

That means it could show how people perceived their sleep, but it could not establish that having a pet directly caused better sleep.

The participants were also patients at a sleep clinic, rather than a perfectly representative sample of the general population.

So while the results were interesting, researchers needed more objective information.

The 2017 Study Looked at Actual Sleep Data

Two years later, Krahn and her team conducted another study designed to examine the question more objectively.

This time, researchers followed 40 healthy adults who did not have diagnosed sleep disorders.

Each participant had one dog.

For a week, both the people and their dogs wore activity-tracking devices that allowed researchers to examine their movements and estimate sleep patterns.

The results were again published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, in September 2017.

Instead of simply asking participants whether they felt their dogs were disturbing their sleep, researchers could use the activity data to examine what was happening during the night.

And the results were surprisingly nuanced.

A Dog in the Bedroom Did Not Necessarily Ruin Sleep

People who had their dog sleeping in the bedroom while the dog stayed off the bed had an average sleep efficiency of about 83 percent.

When the dog slept on the bed, average sleep efficiency was around 80 percent.

That represents a small difference.

The findings suggested that simply having a dog nearby in the bedroom did not necessarily cause major sleep disruption.

However, allowing the dog onto the bed appeared to have a somewhat greater effect.

The distinction is important.

The research did not suggest that everyone should stop allowing their dogs into the bedroom.

Instead, it indicated that there may be a middle ground for people who enjoy having their pets nearby but want to protect their sleep quality.

A dog can stay close without necessarily sharing the mattress.

Why Some People May Enjoy Sleeping Near Their Dogs

The researchers also highlighted something that is easy to overlook when discussing sleep quality: comfort.

For some people, a dog is not simply another source of movement or noise.

It is a familiar companion.

The presence of a pet may create feelings of comfort and security, especially for someone who sleeps alone.

That does not mean dogs improve sleep for everyone.

People respond differently to noise, movement, temperature and changes in their sleeping environment.

A dog that sleeps quietly through the night may barely be noticed.

Another dog may move around, scratch, snore or wake its owner regularly.

The same sleeping arrangement can therefore be comfortable for one person and frustrating for another.

What the Research Does Not Prove

The Mayo Clinic studies are interesting, but they should not be interpreted as proof that sleeping with a dog provides major health benefits.

The research does not establish that dogs cure insomnia.

It does not show that sleeping with a dog prevents depression.

And it does not demonstrate that having a dog in bed changes a person’s brain chemistry.

The 2017 study in particular was relatively small, involving only 40 healthy adults.

It also did not include a control group, and the participants were mostly healthy, middle-aged women.

As a result, the findings may not apply equally to every person or every dog.

The studies also looked primarily at sleep and did not establish a universal health recommendation about sharing a bed with pets.

Allergies, Odors and Other Practical Concerns

Sleep quality is not the only consideration.

Some people have allergies to pet dander, and keeping a dog in the bedroom may make those symptoms more noticeable.

Odors, shedding and heat can also affect whether the sleeping environment feels comfortable.

Then there is the dog’s personality.

A restless dog can interrupt sleep even if the owner generally enjoys having the animal nearby.

There are also potential health considerations associated with close contact between people and pets. The source material notes that rare infections have been reported in connection with pets, although these situations are uncommon.

People with allergies or weakened immune systems may want to discuss their individual circumstances with a doctor or veterinarian.

The important point is that the decision is personal.

There is no single sleeping arrangement that works perfectly for every household.

What If Your Dog Keeps Waking You Up?

If your dog regularly interrupts your sleep, you do not necessarily have to move the animal completely out of the bedroom.

One option is to give the dog its own comfortable bed nearby.

This arrangement allows the pet to remain in the same room while giving both of you a little more space.

It can also help answer an important question: Is your dog itself the problem, or is sharing the same mattress the problem?

If sleep improves when the dog moves from the bed to its own sleeping area, you may have found a practical compromise.

If the disturbance continues, moving the dog’s bed farther away or just outside the bedroom may be another option.

Making a Dog-Friendly Bedroom More Comfortable

For owners who want to keep their dogs nearby, a few practical changes can make the arrangement easier.

Use Washable Bedding

Dogs can bring dirt, hair and other debris into the sleeping environment.

A washable mattress protector and machine-washable bedding can make regular cleaning much easier.

Give Your Dog Its Own Bed

A comfortable dog bed beside your bed can provide a dedicated sleeping area.

For some owners, this may be the ideal compromise between keeping a dog nearby and protecting their own sleeping space.

Consider an Air Purifier

People who are sensitive to pet dander may find that improving bedroom air quality makes the environment more comfortable.

A HEPA-filter air purifier is one option commonly used to reduce airborne particles.

However, it should not be treated as a guaranteed solution for pet allergies.

Keep Up With Parasite Prevention

Regular flea and tick prevention can help reduce the chances of pests becoming a problem in the home.

Owners should follow veterinary guidance for products appropriate for their particular dog.

Think About Your Dog’s Health

If a dog is frequently restless at night, wakes up repeatedly or suddenly changes its sleeping habits, the issue may not simply be a behavioral preference.

Changes in nighttime behavior can sometimes warrant a conversation with a veterinarian.

So, Should Your Dog Sleep in Your Bed?

The Mayo Clinic research does not provide a simple yes-or-no answer.

Instead, it suggests that having a dog in the bedroom does not necessarily mean poor sleep.

The 2017 study found that participants generally maintained good sleep efficiency when their dogs were in the bedroom.

However, sleep efficiency was slightly higher when the dog remained off the bed compared with when the dog slept directly on the mattress.

That small distinction may be useful for owners trying to find a balance.

If your dog sleeps quietly and you wake up feeling rested, there may be little reason to assume the arrangement is automatically harmful.

If your dog constantly moves, snores or wakes you, however, the research suggests that changing the sleeping setup could be worth trying.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it bad to let my dog sleep in my bed?

Not necessarily. The Mayo Clinic research suggests that having a dog in the bedroom does not automatically lead to poor sleep. However, the 2017 study found slightly better sleep efficiency when the dog slept off the bed.

Can sleeping with a dog improve sleep?

Some people report feeling more relaxed and secure when their dog is nearby. However, the research does not prove that sleeping with a dog improves sleep for everyone.

Is sleeping with a dog unhealthy?

The studies discussed here do not establish that sharing a bed with a dog is universally unhealthy. Allergies, odors, restless behavior and rare infection risks can be considerations for some people.

What should I do if my dog keeps waking me up?

Try giving your dog its own comfortable sleeping space nearby. If that does not solve the problem, you can gradually move the sleeping area farther from your bed or outside the bedroom.

Is having a dog in the bedroom better than having one in the bed?

The 2017 Mayo Clinic study suggests that people may maintain good sleep efficiency with a dog in the bedroom, while sleep efficiency was slightly lower when the dog slept directly on the bed.

The Best Sleeping Arrangement May Depend on Both of You

The debate over dogs in the bedroom often sounds like there should be one correct answer.

The research suggests otherwise.

Some people may feel calmer with their dog nearby. Others may sleep better when their pet has its own bed. And for some households, allowing the dog onto the mattress may work perfectly well.

The Mayo Clinic studies offer an important middle ground between those extremes.

Having a dog in the bedroom does not automatically mean a bad night’s sleep. At the same time, sharing the bed may have a small effect on sleep quality compared with keeping the dog nearby but off the mattress.

Ultimately, the best arrangement is the one that allows both the owner and the dog to sleep comfortably.

If everyone wakes up rested, the debate may not matter quite as much as we think.