Millions of families all over the world are all the richer for having welcomed a dog into the fold, with their joyous natures and intense loyalty making them among the most popular pets on the planet
Dogs who are feeling “stressed” or “ignored” may struggle with these feelings longer than owners realise, according to research. Dogs are renowned for their seemingly endless positivity and sense of joy, their happy-go-lucky natures and intense loyalty to their loved ones making them a top choice of pet for millions of people all over the world.
Dogs are incredibly social creatures and offer great emotional support to their owners. Studies indicate they’re often in tune with their owners’ emotions, and are able to understand and recognise emotions in others. People are often quick to apply human emotions and logic to how a dog behaves, but another study conducted by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences suggests their feelings can deeply influence and affect something many of us struggle with – sleep.
In a post shared on Instagram, the effects of stressful and happy experiences on dogs’ sleep was revealed.
Alongside a carousel of images of dogs with text added to them, the caption explains: “Research from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (Eötvös Loránd University) found that dogs experience REM sleep patterns and emotional recall similar to humans.
“They remember stressful or joyful experiences and may lose sleep when emotionally unsettled.
“Your dog doesn’t just love you – they think about you even when you’re apart.”
The first image claims: “Dogs stay awake at night thinking about their problems, just like humans do”.
The third elaborates on this: “Studies show that dogs replay emotional moments in their minds – especially arguments, stress or separation from their favourite person.”
The fourth continues: “When a dog experiences something upsetting – like being scolded or ignored – it can cause sleep disturbance, just like humans after a bad day”.
The social media post, which was shared by Mental Aspect, suggests a dog’s brain may then release cortisol – the stress hormone – which can lead to sleep struggles.
In the comments section, people were keen to share their thoughts – with several in complete disbelief over the study’s claims.
One person said: “no they don’t [crying laughing emoji] my dog is snoring all night”.
Another said: “Not my dog! He sleeps and snores like he works at the plant!!”
A third agreed: “My 2 rescues fall asleep immediately after the lights go out and they pretty much sleep through the night. I know because they both snore like freight trains”.
Another commented: “Well I guess my dog is problem free, because she sleeps all damn night!”
Others were struck by the implications of the study.
One person shared: “I’m ugly crying right now [sobbing emoji] lost my baby in February, I’m still in pain”.
Another quipped: “That’s it, I’m quitting work and staying home all day.”
Someone else commented: “Nooooo that is heartbreaking! Dogs deserve to have no problems ever”.
And another added: “My dog is the best part of my day, every day.”
According to a study shared through the National Library of Medicine via PubMed: “Dogs have outstanding capabilities to read human emotional expressions, both vocal and facial.
“It has also been shown that positively versus negatively valenced dog-human social interactions substantially affect dogs’ subsequent sleep.”
