Many people like to sleep next to their dogs, and it can be said that this feeling is often mutual.
A study conducted in 2024, which included a representative sample of adults in the United States, revealed that 47.6 percent of people who care for pets sleep next to their animals.
Although hugging your dog while sleeping may give you a feeling of comfort, this habit is not without potential negative effects on your health, including disturbed and interrupted sleep, according to the “Healthline” website.
Potential benefits of sleeping with your dog
Raising pets brings many benefits to their owners, but whether sharing a bed with your dog or cat enhances these benefits is up for debate, and may depend on your personal circumstances.
1. It may not negatively affect sleep quality
Having a dog in your bed can affect the quality of your sleep, but other factors play a role, including the number of people and pets sharing the bed, the size of the pet, and the area of the bed itself.
A small 2017 study of adults showed that people can sleep well with a dog in the bedroom, but their sleep quality may suffer when a dog sleeps on the same bed.
Allocating a dog bed next to your bed may be a suitable solution.
A 2018 survey of adult women also showed that having dogs in bed was less disruptive to sleep than sharing a bed with cats or other people.
If you wake up feeling refreshed and not tired during the day, your dog will likely be a suitable sleep companion.
2. Gives you comfort and a feeling of security
The same survey, conducted in 2018 among adult women, indicated that sleeping next to a dog was associated with a greater feeling of comfort and security, compared to sleeping next to another person or a cat.
This feeling may be especially satisfying if you suffer from loneliness, or spend most of your day away from your dog.
3. Promotes mental health
Sleeping next to your furry friend may help you feel more emotionally connected to them.
Pets can help relieve stress and anxiety. It enhances social and emotional bonds, which reflects positively on mood and mental health in general.
According to a 2018 article, interacting with animals may help:
- Reducing cortisol levels.
- Lowering blood pressure.
- Reduce feelings of loneliness.
- Enhancing the feeling of social support.
- Improve mood.
However, it should be noted that research results in this area are mixed, and more high-quality studies are still needed.
Side effects and potential risks of sleeping with pets
Although dogs can be good bedtime companions, there are other factors to consider before allowing them to share a bed.
1. It may cause poor sleep quality
Dogs remain in a constant state of alert, so their sleep is relatively light.
A study conducted in 2020 found that having a dog in the bed increases a person’s movement during sleep, which may lead to sleep disturbance, although people rarely remember waking up due to the dog’s movement.
But the researchers pointed out that the study relied on a very small sample of women, which means that its results may not apply to broader categories of the population.
Likewise, a 2024 cross-sectional study found that sleeping around pets was associated with lower self-rated sleep quality and increased insomnia severity.
A dog that snores, drools, or makes the bed hot may not be an ideal sleeping companion; You may wake up still feeling tired, or find yourself needing a nap during the day.
2. It may aggravate allergies
Pets can transfer allergens, such as dust and pollen, to your bed, which can exacerbate severe allergies and asthma.
3. It may transmit diseases
Bacteria, parasites, and fungi can be transmitted from animals to humans through several ways, including:
- Contact with waste.
- Licking the face or open wounds.
- Scratches.
- Biting.
It should be noted that sharing a bed with your pet increases your chances of being exposed to any pathogens it may carry.
4. It may cause injury
Having a nervous or aggressive dog in the bedroom poses a significant risk of being bitten, especially for children.
Maybe you wash your hair regularly, but when was the last time you cleaned your hairbrush? “Treat your hairbrush as a personal care tool that deserves the same attention you give your toothbrush,” says Dr. Emily Nadelman, a board-certified dermatologist and assistant clinical professor of dermatology at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C.
They both need regular cleaning and periodic replacement.
She adds: “It may not require a lot of time or money, but its benefits for the health of your hair and scalp are very great,” according to the Everyday Health website.
Why is cleaning your hairbrush important?
With each use, your hairbrush accumulates bacteria, fungi, oils, hair care product residue, and dead skin cells.
Dr. Monique Chedda, a board-certified dermatologist in Virginia, explains that not cleaning the brush regularly leads to these impurities being transferred back to clean hair, affecting its appearance and texture, in addition to its negative repercussions on the health of the scalp.
A hairbrush may become a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi
A hairbrush can harbor bacteria and fungi that are part of the scalp’s “microbiome,” which is the community of microorganisms that naturally live on its surface.
“These organisms are not inherently harmful, but when they accumulate along with oils and impurities, they can negatively impact the health of the scalp,” says Dr. Ksenia Kopets, director of cosmetic dermatology at Montefiore Health System and assistant professor of dermatology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.
When these microorganisms are out of balance, it may lead to stunted hair growth, dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, an inflammation of the hair follicles, or even acne.
Accumulation of oils and residues of hair care products
Sebum, an oily substance secreted by the sebaceous glands in the scalp, acts as a natural moisturizer that helps maintain the health of the hair and scalp.
And every time you comb your hair, an amount of these oils remains stuck in the brush.
Dr. Chida points out that “oils accumulate very easily on the hairbrush and are then redistributed to newly washed hair, which can make it appear greasy more quickly and give it a heavy texture.”
Over time, these accumulations may cause scalp irritation.
Dr. Kubits adds that the accumulation of remnants of hair care products and oils on a dirty brush creates a suitable environment for the growth of the Malassezia fungus, a type of yeast associated with dandruff, which may increase the severity of itching, the appearance of scales, and inflammation of the scalp in general.
Lingering scales may cause itching and inflammation of the scalp
Dead skin cells and flakes can get stuck to your hairbrush and then move back to your scalp every time you brush.
“For people with dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis, this can perpetuate the inflammatory cycle, as yeasts and inflammatory byproducts that had grown on the hairbrush are brought back to the scalp,” Dr. Cupits explains.
The Malassezia fungus, which lives naturally on the scalp, may be behind this problem. These yeasts secrete compounds that can harm the integrity of the skin and cause inflammation, especially when they accumulate in high concentrations.
How often do experts recommend cleaning a hairbrush?
Most people should clean their hairbrush about once a week.
However, Dr. Cupits points out that some people may need to cleanse every two or three days, depending on hair type, scalp condition, and extent of hair care product use.
“The more accumulation there is, the more quickly the brush turns into a storehouse of debris and microorganisms,” she explains.
According to Cupits, people who regularly use styling products, such as oils, gels, hair sprays and creams, may need to clean their brushes more frequently, because these products leave residue that quickly builds up on the brush bristles.
Chida adds that brushes made with natural bristles also need to be cleaned more frequently, because they retain more oil than brushes with plastic bristles.
Also, people who have naturally oily hair, or suffer from conditions such as dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis, may notice that buildup forms on their brushes more quickly.
“A dirty brush can contribute to persistent scalp problems, so cleaning it frequently is helpful,” says Chida.
Meanwhile, people with scalp infections, such as ringworm, should clean and sterilize their hairbrushes after each use until the infection is completely resolved.
An American clinical trial showed that a nasal spray combining two medicinal substances may provide a more effective treatment for chronic nasal obstruction, compared to using steroid sprays alone, without showing signs of rhinitis medicamentosa, which is one of the most prominent risks of overuse of nasal decongestants.
Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis explained that the combination treatment achieved greater improvement among the trial participants, and the results were published Thursday in the Journal of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery of the American Medical Association.
Chronic nasal obstruction refers to a persistent or recurring difficulty in the passage of air through the nasal passages, as a result of swelling of the tissues lining the nose, increased mucus secretion, or the presence of obstacles within the nasal passages. It may be associated with allergies, chronic sinusitis, or a deviated nasal septum, and can affect breathing, sleep, and the senses of smell and taste.
The new treatment combined oxymetazoline, a decongestant that shrinks the blood vessels in the lining of the nose and widens the nasal passages, and budesonide, a steroid that helps reduce inflammation and swelling.
The trial included 60 adults who suffer from chronic nasal congestion and did not achieve sufficient improvement using traditional steroid sprays. The researchers divided them into two groups: The first used the combined spray, while the other used “budesonide” alone, twice daily for 4 weeks, followed by a gradual reduction in doses over a period of 3 weeks.
The results showed that 83 percent of users of the combination spray recorded at least a moderate improvement after four weeks, compared to 36 percent of those who used the steroid alone.
The severity of nasal congestion decreased by 69 percent in the first group after two weeks, compared to 41 percent in the other group.
None of the combination therapy users showed signs of worsening congestion or rebound swelling during the first four weeks, despite using the full dose of decongestant. Also, participants were able to tolerate a dose reduction during weeks five and six without a serious worsening of symptoms.
After completely stopping oxymetazoline for a week, the trial did not record cases of worsening congestion that required a return to using the spray, while 75 percent of the participants whose symptoms were under control maintained this improvement throughout the week of stopping.
Rhinitis medicamentosa, also known as “rebound congestion,” occurs as a result of excessive use of certain decongestant nasal sprays. Although it provides quick relief by constricting blood vessels, using it for a longer period than recommended may lead to the return of swelling and blockage, which prompts sufferers to repeat use or increase doses, and makes stopping it more difficult.
According to the researchers, the combination of the two substances may represent a promising option for treating cases of chronic nasal obstruction that do not respond to traditional treatments. However, the results do not prove the prevention of “rebound congestion” in the long term, as the trial was limited to 60 participants and seven weeks, which requires conducting larger and longer studies to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the treatment.
