Dog waking up at night? Unfortunately, that means you are waking up at night too. When you experience sleepless nights, you might turn to common causes like too much caffeine in the afternoon. However, what about those with high maintenance pets? Is your dog waking up at night and disturbing your sleep? For more information on treating sleep disorders and undergoing a sleep study in NYC, contact Dr. Shukla.
Is Your Pet Costing You Valuable Sleep?
The short answer is that it is very possible, especially if your pet sleeps in the same bed as you. Unless proactive measures are taken, it is likely that your pet will wake up at least once throughout the night. In fact, one study reported that 30% of pet owners who shared their bed with their pet said they woke up at least once throughout the night because of something like their dog waking up at night. In addition, of those who let their pet sleep them with more than four nights a week, 63% of them reported poor sleep quality.
Detriments of Interrupted Sleep
Whether your dog is waking up at night for a few minutes or hours, interrupted sleep is bad news. The National Sleep Foundation cites that in addition to drowsiness the next day, a lack of sleep can also affect your memory, mood, and alertness.
It is important to note that these side effects can happen even if your sleep is only interrupted for a few minutes at a time. Your body relies on deep sleep to maintain optimal functionality. However, each time your sleep is interrupted, your deep sleep process must start over.
For more information on the negative effects of poor sleep quality and treatment options available, contact Sleep MD today.
How Can I Make my Pet Sleep Throughout the Night?
For many pet owners, they find comfort in sharing a bed with their pet. We don’t blame you for not wanting to sacrifice that! Fortunately, there are some solutions you can try to keep your pet from interrupting your sleep.
- Wear them out. Dog waking up at night? One option that works for many pet owners is making an active effort to wear them out throughout the day. This may include extra walks, a longer time spent outside, or more playtime. However, if you are at work during the day, then consider buying toys that will keep them occupied. This will decrease the hours they spend sleeping while they are home alone.
- Adjust their schedule. If your pet is constantly waking you up at 3 am because they are hungry, then adjusting their feeding schedule can help them sleep throughout the night. Or your dog may be waking you up because they have to go outside to use the bathroom. In this case, you may want to consider taking them outside right before bed to reduce the likelihood of them having to go throughout the night. Pay attention to the behavior they are exhibiting so that you can make adjustments that will allow for a peaceful night’s sleep for you.
If these methods do not work, then it may be time to look into other options since getting a proper amount of uninterrupted sleep is crucial to your overall health.
If your pet is keeping you up a night, a few adjustments can make a drastic improvement to your sleep. However, if your pet is sleeping soundly throughout the night and you still find that you cannot get good quality sleep, then it is time to meet with a New York sleep doctor. For more information on what could be causing your interrupted sleep and treatment options available, contact our team today!
