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Dogs Lie Awake At Night Thinking About Their Problems, Too

October 26, 2017

Researchers in Hungary say dogs, like many of us, lie awake at night thinking about their problems after a stressful or emotional day.

A study published by The Royal Society scientific journal found that our furry four-legged friends also struggle to fall asleep due to their troubles, meaning that once again we have something in common with them.

The experiment recorded the brain waves of 16 dogs after experiencing either a positive or negative day. Positive days included being pet and playing fetch while the negative days included being separated from their owners or tied to a door for short periods of time.

The researchers found that after a three-hour nap, the dogs subjected to a stressful experience had a worse sleep. They spent an average of 20 more minutes in REM sleep, the active sleep stage characterized by vivid dreaming and an increased heart rate. The stressed out dogs also woke up more quickly than their relaxed counterparts.

The study suggested that one negative experience in your dog's life won't cause a major sleeping problem, but regular stressful experiences could lead to a sleep disorder for your four-legged friend.

So even if you've had a busy and stressful day, don't forget to give your best friend some extra love.