Have you noticed that your dog has trouble sleeping through the night? Insomnia is a condition that can affect not only us but also our four-legged friends. I will try to explain to you what causes sleep problems for your dog and how you can help him.
Dogs and humans can suffer from insomnia and sleep problems. When the dog cannot sleep, it walks around the house at night and is visibly tired during the day. If you want to help your dog with insomnia, make him sleep well. A comfortable lair, sheltered from the source of the world, is essential.
What will you learn from this article:
- Your dog may be suffering from insomnia
- In the case of long-term insomnia, the dog will need help
- Take care to calm down and relax your dog before bedtime; it makes it easier to fall asleep
Insomnia in a dog
I love evenings. Everything around becomes quiet and peaceful. The moon and stars appear in the sky. After a long day, it’s time to sleep so that you can rest and regenerate. But do you have any sleepless nights? I usually have absolutely no problem falling asleep. Therefore, when a sleepless night occurs in my life, it is more frustrating and unpleasant for me.
During one of those sleepless nights, I noticed that my four-legged friend was also awake. Then, I wondered if dogs might also have trouble falling asleep.
If you have noticed that your dog is walking around the house at night, cannot fall asleep or is trying to find a place in his lair without success; he may be suffering from dog insomnia. I will try to explain what could be causing this and how you can help your dog sleep peacefully through the night.
The dog’s sleep is important
For both you and your pet, sleep plays a significant role in the proper functioning of the body. During the night, our body can rest after the whole day and regenerate before starting the next one.
Dogs sleep much longer than humans. Usually, your dog sleeps from 12 to even 14 hours throughout the day. This length of sleep is perfectly standard for dogs. Of course, dogs in the puppy phase will need even more rest. The same goes for canine seniors.
Sleeping rest is essential for your pet. If you want to know more about how your little dog relaxes and rests, I refer you to my other post, which you can find HERE. Each dog can sleep in his way.
How your dog sleeps
Each of us has our favourite sleeping position. You indeed have that one favourite pose that makes it most comfortable for you to fall asleep. How your dog sleeps is also very important. You can read how he feels in your home, whether he is tense or fully relaxed.
Symptoms of insomnia in a dog
Now let’s think about how you can tell if your dog has a problem with insomnia. If you tend to wake up during the night, you can check whether your dog is asleep or not.
However, the situation may be a bit more difficult if you are among the lucky ones who sleep all night without any problems. You’re probably wondering how you can tell if your dog is suffering from insomnia or not in this situation.
Therefore, I want to introduce you to the most common symptoms of dog insomnia. Perhaps you will notice one of these behaviours in your four-legged friend.
Walking the dog around the house at night
During sleepless nights, your dog acts a bit differently than you do. I usually lie in bed when I can’t sleep and turn from side to side. It looks a bit different with your dog.
Usually, when the dog cannot sleep, he walks around the house. He may look for a better place to sleep, in his opinion or act like that without many purposes. When my dog walks around the house at night, the sound of his paws on the panels in a quiet place is quite clear. This sound can wake me if the dog wanders for a long time.
Your dog may behave this way during a sleepless night because he is looking for a better place to sleep. He might act this way because he is just looking for something to do in his spare time.
The dog is tired during the day
If your dog has been a very energetic four-legged dog so far, and you have recently noticed a marked decline in his form, it is a sign that something may be wrong. The cause of your pet’s fatigue during the day may be insomnia that torments him at night.
In such situations, you may usually notice a marked decline in your dog’s well-being. The pet is depressed and gloomy. He wanders around the house with no desire for any activity.
Sleep is essential in the lives of each of us, including our quadrupeds. Lack of sufficient sleep makes your dog visibly tired and without strength. A dog’s eyes may be slightly bloodshot, as happens when you lack of sleep.
How to help a dog with insomnia
Sometimes the dog’s insomnia is only a temporary, short stage. It lasts for a few days, and then everything returns to normal. I experience this kind of insomnia from time to time. There are days when I have a massive problem with falling asleep several nights in a row. However, it only takes a short time, and the problem disappears by itself as he has taken it away.
In your dog’s case, the insomnia problem may also be only temporary. However, if you notice that your pet’s situation is much more complex, your job as a guardian dog will be to support the dog and try to help him.
I have prepared some helpful tips, especially for you and your four-legged friend, that can be helpful in the fight against dog insomnia. I hope they will help ensure your dog’s healthy, undisturbed sleep.
Prepare a sleeping area for the dog
You cannot deny that the place where we sleep is essential for the quality of our sleep. For your four-legged friend, this is also a significant point. First, make sure you have a comfortable bed for your dog. From my experience, I recommend the comfortable URBAN bed from Bowl & Bone Republic.
Set your dog’s lair so that no light source shines on it. Air the room before going to bed. If you notice that your dog has fallen asleep, do not turn on the lights in that room.
Dog cushion bed |URBAN brown
In the evening, avoid distractions
After the evening walk, try to make your home feel calm. This will allow the dog to calm down before going to bed. Give up intense fun. It is a perfect moment to relax with your dog.
You can give your four-legged dog a massage to relax him and prepare him for bedtime. It will be much easier for him to fall asleep when he feels relaxed and at ease.
Help the dog with insomnia
Your dog’s insomnia directly affects the quality of his daily life. If the dog is sleepy, his well-being will be very poor. I don’t think anyone enjoys feeling sleepless. Without your help, your little dog may be unable to cope with this problem.
Does your dog have problems with insomnia and falling asleep? How are you trying to help him in this situation? Let me know in the comment below.
If you have any questions or want me to bring up a topic in the next post, share it with me in the comments section.