The prevalence and implications of human-animal co-sleeping in an Australian sample
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| Category | Journal Articles |
|---|---|
| Abstract |
Sleep research is characterized by an interest in humans, with the realm of animal sleep left largely to ethologists and animal scientists. However, the lives of sleep-study participants and those with sleep problems frequently involve animals. For the majority of the population in developed countries who own pets, their waking lives are impacted by the duties of animal care and ownership. For many, their sleeping lives are also impacted through sharing their bedrooms or their beds with pets. Yet, little is known about the prevalence of human-animal co-sleeping relationships or their impact on sleep. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and implications of human-animal co-sleeping in an Australian sample. The study uses data collected from the 2012 Sealy Sleep Census, a national online survey of sleep wellness that included a sample of 10,128 after data cleaning. The population of respondents (aged 18-74) who co-slept with pets ( n=1,018 or 10% of the sample) was then matched to a sample of respondents who did not co-sleep with pets, according to gender and age. Those who co-slept with pets took longer to fall asleep ( p=0.029), were more likely to wake up tired ( p=0.025), and although they were not more likely to wake up due to a disturbance, those who did had a greater chance of being disturbed by dog barking/animals making noises ( p |
| Publication Title | Anthrozoos |
| Volume | 27 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 543-551 |
| ISBN/ISSN | 0892-7936 |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
| Language | English |
| Author Address | Central Queensland Univesity, Appleton Institute, 44 Greenhill Road, Wayville, South Australia 5034, Australia.b.p.smith@cqu.edu.au |
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