For many people, a good night’s sleep is hard to come by, for reasons as varied as stress, caffeinated beverages, and snoring spouses. But one problem took researchers at the Mayo Clinic’s Center for Sleep Medicine by surprise: pets.
More than half of the patients at the clinic reported sharing their bedrooms-and often their beds-with their pets. The physicians started recommending tossing the pet out, but pet-lovers don’t usually like doing so.
Whether your dog snoozes in bed beside you or your cat meows incessantly outside your bedroom door, here’s how you can enjoy sleep instead of counting sheep.
To help dogs and cats rest easy, have them checked for external parasites-fleas and ticks-as well as bacterial or yeast infections. All can cause scratching and discomfort, often all night. Allergies can also cause constant itching, so check your vet for a proper diagnosis, says Dr. Peter Ihrke, a professor of veterinary dermatology at the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. For dust-mite allergies (common in pets and their owners), wash dogs’ beds every week or so. If your dog sleeps on your bed, enclose the box springs, mattress, and pillows in barrier covers and wash your linens frequently.
Older dogs and cats often suffer from pain-related problems like arthritis that can make it difficult for them to get comfortable when they try to sleep.
Pain medications and supplements can help ease discomfort. Most important, says Dr. Robin Downing, a veterinary pain-management expert in Windsor, Colo., if your pet is overweight, help him shed the extra pounds. “Without weight-management, everything else we can do will be less effective,” she says.
Finally, when a pet sleeps all day, it’s no surprise he may want to play all night. Get him on the same sleep cycle as you, says Dr. Gary Landsberg, a veterinary behaviorist in Thornhill, Ontario. Toys that keep pets active during the day can help them to settle down when it’s time to sleep at night.
What if none of these strategies work? Then it’s back to the doctors’ advice: Somebody has to sleep on the couch. And we’d hate to bet whether it will end up being your pet-or you.
http://www.parade.com/pets/articles/100124-help-your-pet-sleep-well.html
