Just like people, dogs can experience stress that prevents a good night’s restful slumber, according to recent research conducted by European scientists. Their canine anxiety study revealed that negative experiences may hinder relaxation – so what does this mean for you and your pup?

Rest is vital for mental, physical, and emotional wellness; therefore, we explored further into this interesting study and its findings, along with how you can ensure your dog goes to bed stress-free and contented.

In 2017, a canine study demonstrated how anxiety can wreak havoc on their sleep quality — just like an unpleasant day at work can for us humans. Researchers conducting the test discovered that negative actions led to fitful and short-lived rest for some participating dogs, while those that enjoyed more positive experiences experienced deep, restful napping sessions for an hour at least each night.

Researchers conducted a three-hour experiment involving 16 dogs of various breeds – Labrador retrievers and boxers among others. To measure how stress affected canine sleep, some were exposed to positive experiences prior to sleep while others endured negative ones (all dogs received both kinds). After tracking sleeping brainwaves of these canines, researchers concluded that anxiety played an integral part in their ability to relax and rest – including Labrador retrievers and boxers who participated.

One of the greatest challenges in conducting the experiment was identifying what constitutes positive and negative experiences for dogs. Scientists decided that positive factors would include petting, attention and playing games; negative factors included isolation from owners or being approached menacingly by strangers. On average, dogs who received good experiences managed around an hour of deep non-REM sleep while experiencing bad events caused only 40-50 minutes non-REM sleep duration.

But, what exactly is Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep, and why is it beneficial?

REM sleep, which involves increased pulse rates and faster breathing rates, differs significantly from non-REM in that its deeper sleeping stages provide restorative benefits like more regular breathing patterns and heart rates. While paradoxical sleep accounts for approximately 20%-25% of overall adult human sleep time, non-REM is key to ensure we get what’s known as a quality night’s rest free from tossing and turning.

“Our research revealed that dogs experience reduced deep sleep following negative experiences. This suggests that much like people experiencing difficulty sleeping after an emotionally taxing day, dogs may also face similar difficulties,” according to Dr. Anna Kis, the leader of this study’s research effort.

Are there any unexpected results of this study? Rather strangely, researchers discovered that dogs who experienced negative experiences actually fell asleep quicker than dogs who experienced more pleasant pre-sleep experiences. Dr. Kis explains: “Unlike humans who often struggle to fall asleep due to stress-inducing environments, dogs appear to take steps in order to relieve themselves more rapidly of that stressful atmosphere by dozing off more quickly themselves.”

Non-REM sleep is essential to maintaining physical and mental wellness, and this study highlights how negative experiences may negatively affect a dog’s wellbeing.