MIAMI – Dogs truly are a woman's best friend.
A study, published in the Journal of the International Society of Anthrozoology, shows women who snuggle in bed with their dog get a better night’s sleep.
The study found that women get better sleep with a dog than a cat or another human by their side.
"Compared with human bed partners, dogs who slept in the owner’s bed were perceived to disturb sleep less and were associated with stronger feelings of comfort and security," the study found.
Researchers surveyed nearly 1,000 women in the United States to study the relationships between pet ownership and human sleep.
Fifty-five percent of participants shared their bed with at least one dog and thirty-one percent with at least one cat.
The study also found that dog owners had earlier bedtimes and wake times than individuals who had cats but no dogs.
Cats who slept in their owner’s bed were reported to be equally as disruptive as human partners, and were associated with weaker feelings of comfort and security than both human and dog bed partners.