Dogs increase risk of insomnia — while cats increase the likelihood of leg twitches, study finds

Your beloved pets could be to blame for restless nights, leg twitches and even trouble sleeping, experts have claimed.

New research has shown that dog owners are more likely to have trouble sleeping than those without puppies, while cat owners are linked to more leg twitching throughout the night.

Snoring, sudden awakenings and the need for sleeping pills were among the factors considered in the study by US scientists at Lincoln Memorial University.

Although pets were recognized as providing “a sense of security and companionship” that can relax the owner, the results clearly showed that they worsened overall sleep quality.

dr Lauren Wisnieski, who led the study, said: “Previous studies on the association between pet ownership and sleep quality and sleep disorders have produced mixed results.

“On the one hand, dogs and cats can be beneficial to an owner’s sleep quality because of the social support pets provide — pets provide a sense of security and companionship, which can lead to improvements in anxiety, stress, and depression levels.

“On the other hand, pets can disturb their owners’ sleep.”

For its analysis, the study relied on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted in 2005-2006.

Around 5,500 perspectives were examined, of which 51.7 percent were female and 48.3 percent male.

It showed that sleep quality differences were most dramatic between dog and non-dog owners compared to cat and non-cat owners.

Overall, dog owners have been shown to have more problems with sleeping, insomnia, sleep apnea, restlessness, drowsiness, lack of sleep, sleeping pills, and leg twitching compared to non-dog owners.

Meanwhile, cat owners were more likely to snore, have trouble falling asleep/sleeping, and have leg twitches compared to non-cat owners.

dr Wisnieski suggested this could be because cats are more active at night, but the true cause has not been established.

She added: “If the causal relationship is established through further research, the results will have implications for clinical recommendations for treating patients with poor sleep quality.”

“Additionally, educational resources can be developed to educate pet owners about the risks of sleep disorders and offer potential solutions, such as:

Despite their findings, the Mayo Clinic in Arizona has previously found that letting pets rest in the bedroom with you can help with sleep.

Study author Dr. Lois Krahn of the Mayo Clinic in Arizona said: “We have found that many people find comfort and security in sleeping with their pets.

“Today, many pet owners are away from their pets for most of the day, so they want to maximize their time with them when they are at home. Having them in the bedroom at night is an easy way to do that.”