Alaska Sleep Education Center

How to Boost Your Pet’s Sleep

Did you know that sleeplessness isn’t solely a human problem? It might come across as surprising, but pets also suffer from lack of sleep from time to time. Your furry little friend also requires their beauty rest to stay healthy and active.
Sadly, some pets experience restlessness due to age or underlying medical issues that might prevent them from sleeping properly. At times, any slight change of the surroundings or routine can take a tremendous toll on your pet. However, all hope isn’t flushed down the drain. Are you aware that CBD oil is quite effective in supporting your furry little pal’s sleep? Below are ways in which CBD oil can improve your pet’s sleep. 
Minimize anxiety 
Pets tend to be anxious about anything, especially when they hear loud and scary noises such as fireworks, or thunderstorms, among others. It’d be helpful to be quite observant and watch out for signs such as drooling, yawning, lip licking, or whining. The pet’s anxieties can make it quite challenging for them to rest up and catch up on some sleep. Nevertheless, you can shop for CBD oil on various websites, including Glow CBD, it aids by offering a soothing sensation that lessens the pet’s nervous behaviors and helps them be less stressed. One can also combine CBD oil with other pet therapies to aid them in sleeping better. 
Alleviate joint pain 
Aging tends to affects pets immensely than one would have thought. Pets, including dogs, often go through some joint problems such as osteoarthritis. The pain can be quite excruciating, which makes it challenging to sit, stand, or even play. These joints often degenerate or undergo developmental problems. You ought to watch out for limping among your pets. One can also use CBD oil as it has some anti-inflammatory properties, thus aids in fighting off the joint pain, which ultimately helps your pet sleep better.
Managing seizures 
Some dogs often experience seizures due to head injury, dehydration, or immunization shots. While some pets get over their episodes in minutes, others have uncontrollable twitches. If the uncontrollable shaking persists, the pets might be suffering from underlying issues. These seizures often make it difficult for pets to sleep. It’d be helpful to contact your vet immediately, and one can also use CBD oil in managing the seizures and epilepsy. CBD can also prove beneficial by acting as a potent anti-convulsant, minimizing the epileptic seizures among pets and enabling them to have a quiet resting time. 
Minimize allergies 
Allergic reactions cuts across all board from humans to pets. For the pets, their allergic reactions get triggered by food allergies and some environmental factors. These allergies are discomforting and cause swelling and itching and make sleep challenging to come by. Nevertheless, you can use CBD oil in reducing the discomfort as it strengthens the immune system, which also eases the pain. CBD oil also aids in minimizing skin swelling, itchiness, and soreness which aids your pet sleep better. 
The benefits of CBD oil in aiding pets sleep better can’t get denied. However, as a pet parent, you need to exercise patience and consistency while using CBD products. It’d be best to also get your CBD for pets’ products from legit websites such as Glow CBD pets among others. Thus, you can become assured of giving your pets the ideal products while also consulting your vet each step of the way.
 
Letting Your Dog Sleep in the Bedroom Benefits Your Health
Where your dog sleeps is a decision dog owners should consider before bringing a pup home. Allowing the dog in the bed as a puppy and then changing course later confuses the dog and is a recipe for disaster. 
Of course, letting your dog sleep in the room doesn’t necessarily mean in the same bed. Dogs are happiest when close to their humans, but are perfectly fine sleeping on a dog bed in the corner or even in a crate next to the bed. 
Letting your dog sleep in the room isn’t just for the canine’s benefit. People can also reap the advantages. There are many health benefits to allowing your dog to sleep in the bedroom, including 
1. Sense of Security
Protection is one of the main reasons why people get a dog in the first place. Keeping your dog in the bedroom can alert you to any dangers you may not have yet noticed. Dogs have exceptional hearing that goes far beyond human capabilities. In fact, many people unknowingly use their dog as an alert system when visitors stop by or a car pulls into the driveway. 
However, a dog who barks excessively can make it difficult to sleep. Training your dog not to bark at every noise they hear is a tedious, but necessary, part of dog ownership or you’ll end up with the dog who barked wolf. 
2. Lower Blood Pressure
Our furry friends prompt us to remain active with daily walks and a good game of fetch. This exercise not only helps your dog stay mentally and physically healthy, but it also has the same effect on humans. 
Routine exercise helps keep the blood pressure low. Additionally, dogs are known to have a calming effect. Just stroking a dog’s fur can reduce blood pressure. Many pet owners find that petting their dog helps usher in sleep. 
3. Stress and Anxiety Relief
Stress and anxiety are linked to hypertension. Airplanes, colleges, even dentist’s offices, are using therapy dogs to reduce stress and anxiety. Dogs are naturally calm creatures, which may explain their effectiveness in reducing stress. 
However, it’s important to keep attuned to your dog’s behavior and not put them in stressful situations. Dogs exhibit stress by licking their lips, raising their fur and walking in circles. If you notice your dog is showing these signs, try to find the cause and remove it. 
4. Built-In Heated Blanket
Dogs are warm and fuzzy and wonderful. If you live in a colder climate, they are the perfect foot warmer during the winter months. While it varies from dog-to-dog, many dogs enjoy nothing more than cuddling with their owners. 
If you share your bed with another human, dogs can inadvertently cause it TOO much warmth. A good compromise is to cuddle the dog and then send them to another area of the room, such as a crate or dog bed. That way, they will be close but not so close that they disrupt your sleep. 
5. Good for Your Mental Health
Stress and anxiety are often a side effect of depression. Somehow, dogs innately know when a person is sad and does their best to cheer them up. Sometimes that means nothing more than sticking their cold, wet nose in your face. 
Researchers don’t know why dogs have the calming, mood-lifting effect, but anecdotal evidence supports the contention that dogs make us happy. Luckily, dogs generally feel the same way about humans and form connections to us. 
6. Strengthens the Connection Between Dog and Owner
That connection mentioned isn’t always immediate. Depending on the dog’s previous life or personality, it may take time to build trust. Sleeping in the same room can help form a bond between the human and canine. 
Dogs are social animals. Their ancestors lived together in dens and hunted in packs. Even though there are thousands of years between domesticated dogs and their wild counterparts, the instincts remain the same. 

It’s Your Dog’s House; You’re Just Living In It
  Dogs are happiest when they have boundaries and a leader. Many dog owners joke that their dog is the boss of the house. Some may believe that allowing a dog in the bedroom gives them unfettered control. 
However, dogs are obedient and eager to please. The health benefits of letting your dog sleep in the bedroom often outweigh any negative impact.
Advantages and disadvantages aside, it comes down to personal preference. Besides, everyone knows the cat is the real boss of the house. 
Whether you are for or against co-sleeping in the bed or in the bedroom, dogs still need 12 to 14 hours of sleep per day with puppies sleeping 20 hours per day on average. Though it all depends on the breed and size, only 10 percent of a dog’s sleep is in REM unlike humans where 25 percent of sleep is REM.
Hopefully these tips can help you determine the best option for you as a dog owner. However, there is still always a chance your sleep disruptions are truly insomnia or sleep apnea. Our sleep specialists at The Alaska Sleep Clinic can talk for free to get you back on track for a full night’s rest.
Subscribe to our Blog
Alaska Sleep Education Center Email Subscription*
Previous slide
Next slide
Alaska Sleep Clinic's Blog

Our weekly updated blog aims to provide you with answers and information to all of your sleeping questions.

Brent Fisher, MBA, FACHE, FACMPE
President and Chief Executive Officer

“Alaska Sleep Clinic has a history of providing the most comprehensive sleep medicine services in the state of Alaska. Its potential has only begun. I am here to take these high-quality, comprehensive services to all Alaskans.”

Experience

Brent Fisher has held leadership positions spanning a wide variety of complex and start-up organizations: manufacturing (pharmaceutical & medical device), software development, hospitals (academic and community), medical groups, consulting, hospice, military, engineered devices, engineered plastics, and private equity.

Publications and Organizations

His writings have been published in various magazines, trade journals, and medical journals, including the Physician Executive Journal, Healthcare Executive, Modern Healthcare, Group Practice Journal, New England Journal of Medicine, and Journal of Healthcare Management (Best Article Award).

He has served on the Board of Directors of professional associations, civic organizations, and businesses.

Hobbies and Activities

Brent enjoys being with his family, serving in the community, hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting.