Inadequate sleep is associated with common pet behavior problems such as irritability, aggression, moodiness and lethargy. Just like people, pets are at risk for a variety of health problems from prolonged sleep deprivation, such as reduced immune system function, heart disease, diabetes and obesity.
A common complaint from pet owners is that their pets sleep well during the day but not very well at night. Ironically, this often puts pet owners at risk for sleep deprivation (and its associated medical problems) too. And unlike pets, pet owners don’t have time to catch up by taking cat naps during the day. However, pet owners can make adjustments to their pets’ sleep habits to improve rest at night for themselves and their pets.
How much sleep do you and your pet really need?
How much sleep do you and your pet really need? Here are some guidelines:
Adult human beings need 8 hours of sleep per night for optimum health and cognitive functioning. Newborns need 16-20 hours, toddlers need 10-13 hours, preschoolers need 10-12 hours and teenagers need 8-9.5 hours of sleep per night.
Dogs need about 13-18 hours of sleep per 24 hour day. Puppies and older dogs need more sleep. Larger breeds need more sleep than smaller breeds.
Cats also need about 13-18 hours of sleep per 24 hour day. Kittens and older cats need more sleep. Cats are nocturnal predators so they prefer to sleep during the day and hunt at night.
Birds need at least 10 -12 uninterrupted hours of sleep at night and a few naps during the day.
Establish a Good Routine and Schedule
A pet owner can establish a good routine and schedule to improve the quality of their pets’ sleep and improve their own chances for an uninterrupted night’s sleep.
Here are some simple ways to establish a better sleep routine and schedule for your pets:
Daytime is
playtime. Make an effort to tire out your pets during the day. Birds should have time to fly around on a daily basis. Dogs need
walks, runs, and other exercise. Playing with indoor cats during the day and early evening will wear them out and help these nocturnal hunters to sleep more consecutive hours at night.
Night time is quiet time. Hide the toys.
Turn off the lights. Turn off TVs, radios and computers to reduce noise (as well as those bright screen lights). Cover the bird cage so no light can get in.
Offer a bed time snack. Especially for cats who are nocturnal hunters and eaters, a little snack before bed may help pets sleep longer at night.
Maintain a consistent schedule for bedtime. Lights out at the same time every night will help establish a good sleep schedule your pets will adapt to within a few weeks.
Do not get up to attend to your pet at night unless you know or suspect
they have a health issue. If you get up to feed, play with, or let your pet out, you will be reinforcing nocturnal attention seeking behavior. Even negative attention is rewarding and better than no attention at all.
Sleeping Separately or Together? You may need to try crating, putting pets in a separate but comfortable safe space at night or closing your bedroom door. To prevent dogs or cats from sitting outside the door making noise or scratching, use double-sided contact paper, sticky tape, uncomfortable vinyl floor runners or mats, or a Scat Mat™ outside the door. Alternately, if your pet is suffering from separation anxiety, you both may get more sleep by moving a pet bed into the bedroom or just outside the bedroom door. Dogs especially prefer to sleep near their owners. Pick the solution you think will work best and give it a few weeks to see if there are any improvements. If that doesn’t work try another approach. Don’t alternate approaches more frequently as this will only confuse your pet.
If your pet seems unable to settle down, or seems restless and uncomfortable check with your vet. Your vet can make sure there aren’t any underlying medical conditions such as urinary tract infections or overactive thyroid that might interfere with your pet’s ability to sleep. Also check with your vet if your pet sleeps more hours than it should.
Sleep Cycles
Dogs, cats and birds have sleep cycles similar to human beings. The first part occurs at the beginning of a cycle and is called Non Rapid Eye Movement (NREM). Breathing and heart rate slow down while blood pressure and body temperature drops. This is followed by the active and deeper part of a sleep cycle called Rapid Eye Movement (REM). During REM sleep, pet owners notice their pets’ eyes rolling under closed lids. Dogs and cats emit noises such as whining or growling in addition to barking or meowing. Birds may sing in their sleep. The legs of dogs and cats twitch and jerk as if they are trying to run.
In humans, NREM (or deep sleep) lasts for approximately 80 minutes followed by approximately 10 minutes of REM. The cycle of NREM and REM is repeated throughout the night, so a human being could have 3-6 cycles per night.
Dogs and cats have sleep cycles that are shorter than human beings, but longer than birds which have a cycle of about 2 ½ minutes NREM and only 9 seconds spent in REM. Unlike most mammals, since birds sleep standing or perching, they do not lose muscle tone during REM sleep.
Do Pets Dream?
The measured brain activity of animals during REM sleep is similar to that of human beings, so researchers theorize that pets dream, however, there is no way to prove it.
Stress affects your pet’s health in many ways. Stress affects the health of your pet’s cardiovascular, digestive, and immune systems. It can cause a pet to pluck out his feathers or lick out his fur. It can cause your pet to chew up your expensive shoes, and claw and spray your furniture. Chewing, clawing, over-grooming, overly aggressive behavior, spraying, and even an overly excited greeting can be signs that your pet is stressed.
Don’t underestimate the affects of stress on your pet. Unlike you, your pet doesn’t have a demanding job, drive a car in heavy traffic or an overscheduled life but he has his own stress. Domestic animals have been taken out
of their own environments to
live with human beings. It is stressful, even for domestic animals, to conform to behavior rules and environments imposed by human beings. It is helpful to remember that the behavior rules and expectations you have for your pet may be unnatural behavior for that animal.
There are many situations that can affect your pet’s level of stress and consequently his health. These situations may include a trip to the vet, an overnight stay at a kennel, being left at home alone for long periods, traveling in the car, the presence of other animals, changes of schedule, visitors who don’t like pets, certain forms of punishment and strange animals in the vicinity.
If you know the causes of stress in your pets’ life, you can keep him healthier and happier, and it may help you unravel certain health and behavioral mysteries that you have never been able to understand before. When you understand the behaviors and physical symptoms that indicate when your pet is under too much stress you will be able to take steps to relieve his stress.
Many stress-related health problems and behaviors can be reduced or eliminated through adequate exercise, proper diet and nutrition, a calm and predictable home environment and adequate companionship. You can learn more about these topics on other pages of this web site
If your pet seems unable to settle down, or seems restless and uncomfortable check with your vet. Your vet can make sure there aren’t any underlying medical conditions such as urinary tract infections or overactive thyroid that might interfere with your pet’s ability to sleep. Also check with your vet if your pet sleeps more hours than it should. 
There are many situations that can affect your pet’s level of stress and consequently his health. These situations may include a trip to the vet, an overnight stay at a kennel, being left at home alone for long periods, traveling in the car, the presence of other animals, changes of schedule, visitors who don’t like pets, certain forms of punishment and strange animals in the vicinity.
Many stress-related health problems and behaviors can be reduced or eliminated through adequate exercise, proper diet and nutrition, a calm and predictable home environment and adequate companionship. You can learn more about these topics on other pages of this web site