If you're a pet parent, you know your fur baby’s health is paramount. For this reason, it’s essential to learn about healthy habits for your dog, and how they interact with their quality of life and lifespan. Along with nutrition and exercise, a lesser-talked-about element of health is your dog's sleep habits. Here are the reasons why it’s important to keep your pet comfortable and facilitate good sleeping habits for their overall health.
Sleep and the Immune System
Much like humans, dogs need quality sleep to support a healthy immune system. Good sleep helps your pet’s body build up antibodies that fight off diseases, and allows your pet to recover faster if they get sick. Sleep deprivation can have the opposite effect, putting your pup at a higher risk of infection, disease, and longer recovery periods. For this reason, your dog should be getting a good amount of quality sleep, and they (and your vet!) will be much happier because of it.
Maintaining A Healthy Weight
Proper sleep can also help your pet maintain a healthy weight, and the lack thereof can lead to loads of health problems. This is because sleep helps to regulate hormones in your dog’s body, and sleep deprivation can lead to overeating due to insulin imbalances in the blood. These higher insulin levels triggered by sleep deprivation can cause dogs to be hungrier and have a tougher time controlling their appetites, leading to weight gain and obesity.
According to a study by the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, obesity in dogs has been linked to shorter lifespans, diabetes, and a range of other chronic illnesses. Because of this, taking steps to help them get better quality sleep can prevent your pet from suffering from these imbalances and promote a healthier lifestyle overall.
Recovery From Injuries
If one of your pets has ever suffered an injury, the recovery process can be stressful for both you and your furry family member. During the night, deep sleep allows your pet’s body to release proteins to rebuild and repair the damage done to cells during waking hours.
Reducing Pain From Chronic Illnesses
If you’ve ever wondered if there’s anything you can do to ease your pet’s pain from chronic conditions like arthritis, making sure they’re getting enough sleep is a fantastic place to start. Especially for older pups, many conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and digestive problems can lead to inflammation, stiffness, and discomfort. Sleep can ease this pain by reducing the inflammatory proteins in the blood, leading to a better quality of life for your pal.
How To Encourage Good Sleep
Now that you know the importance of making sure your fur baby gets enough sleep, you might be wondering how to encourage better sleeping habits. A major reason dogs have trouble sleeping is the lack of support offered by their sleeping area. How much sleep your dog gets can be impacted by the quality of their beds, and not all dog beds are created equal. Despite many being labeled “orthopedic”, most are made with cheaper materials that easily fall apart in the long run. Investing in a quality dog bed will allow your pet to be comfortably supported to sleep deeply through the night. On top of this, you’ll save money you would have otherwise spent replacing a cheaper dog bed that will inevitably fall apart.
Quality Beds For Quality Sleep
If you’re in the market for a quality dog bed that will support your pal’s health in the long run, check out Ginger Beds’ selection of handcrafted dog beds. Each dog bed is specially made by our owner, John Acree, who crafts each and every bed with quality, comfort, and longevity in mind. Check out our selection of handcrafted beds here!
Excerpt for site: How much sleep do your dogs need for a healthy body? Learn how to help your sleepy dog achieve better sleeping habits for their overall health.