What to Do When Your Dog Is Restless At Night
Trust us, we know how difficult it can sometimes be to convince your furry friend that it’s time for bed. Read on for some tips and tricks to help your dog — and yourself — settle down for a night of restful sleep. ¹
Key Takeaways
- Dogs generally have similar sleep-wake patterns to humans, though they tend to wake up more often during the night.
- Nighttime restlessness can be caused by a lack of exercise, stress, a disrupted sleep routine, an uncomfortable sleep environment, diet, physical discomfort, and other factors.
- Calming supplements like CBD oil and hemp chews can promote relaxation in your dog.
- Other techniques to improve your dog's sleep include sticking to a bedtime routine, feeding them a high-quality diet, giving them enough exercise and mental stimulation during the day, and playing calming music.
See Related: What to Do When Your Dog Has Gas
Understanding Your Dog's Sleep
Have you ever watched your dog snooze throughout the day and wondered why they seem so tired? As the viral joke goes, dogs often sleep like they worked all day to pay the bills.
On the one hand, it's entirely normal for dogs to indulge in a daytime catnap (pardon the pun).² Their ancestors, wolves, tend to be most active at night or at dawn/dusk, and wild dogs seem to follow similar sleep-wake patterns.³, ⁴
On the other hand, domesticated dogs are quite different from their wild relatives. In fact, research shows our furry friends tend to stick to similar sleep-wake schedules as us, their owners.⁵
Unfortunately, our dogs don't always seem to get the memo. They might refuse to go to bed, or simply be unable to settle down at night.
It goes without saying that a restless dog generally won't get a good night's sleep. But that restless dog can negatively impact your sleep, too. And that's no good!
After all, you likely know how important sleep is to human health. Sleep is actually crucial for your dog's health, too. Dogs use sleep to recover from daytime activity, build memories, and even learn new things.⁶, ⁷
In short, a dog's nighttime restlessness is more than a potential annoyance. Fortunately, there are plenty of tricks to help your furry friend settle down at bedtime.
Before we get to those techniques, let's cover the basics of what healthy sleep looks like for dogs — and the most common reasons your pet might be finding it difficult to get their beauty sleep.
Sleep in Dogs
As we mentioned, research shows dogs tend to follow a similar sleep-wake pattern to their owners. That is, they are active during the day and less active at night.
However, things are actually a little more complicated than that. For example, one study found that dogs often have a lull in the early afternoon where they are usually less active. ⁸
Additionally, a lot of what looks like "sleep" in dogs is actually more like resting with closed eyes. Your dog might be lying still with their eyes closed, but not be properly asleep. ⁴
Estimates for how long dogs sleep therefore, vary quite widely. Some studies say seven hours, others go as high as 16. ⁹
When your dog does sleep, they go through similar sleep cycles to us humans.9 However, their cycles are a little shorter than ours. According to one study, a dog's average sleep/wake cycle is 16 minutes asleep followed by 5 minutes awake.¹⁰
Dogs also sleep more overall when they are puppies. However, just like human babies, puppies are less likely to sleep through the night.¹¹
Overall, your dog should be able to relax, if not sleep, through the entire night. If your dog's restlessness is preventing them from doing this, that could mean something is preventing them from settling down.
Bonus: Why Do Dogs Twitch in Their Sleep?
Why Is My Dog Restless At Night?
Anyone who's struggled to get to sleep knows how frustrating it can be. Sometimes you can do everything right but still find it difficult to slip into dreamland.
Perhaps something is weighing on your mind. Or maybe your bed is a little uncomfortable. All kinds of things can contribute to difficulty sleeping.
You might not expect the same to be true of your dog. After all, what do they have to worry about? They have a doting dog owner, a comfortable bed, and nothing to worry about...
Actually, all kinds of things in your dog's life could contribute to their difficulty sleeping. Let's cover some of the most common culprits.
Stress
Believe it or not, your dog's restlessness might be due to stress. Remember, all kinds of things can stress your dog out. Loud noises, unfamiliar people, strange smells... dogs can even sense when their owners are stressed, and that can make them stressed by proxy.¹²
Helping your dog relax might be the trick to getting them to settle down at night.
We offer a range of calming supplements and treats to help your furry friend cope with external stresses and support their normal recovery from stress. Try mixing CBD oil into your dog's dinner, or treat them to a delicious Duck & Apple Chew 45 minutes before bedtime.
Alternatively, grab our Sleep Support Hemp Extract. It comes in a carefully formulated 4:1 ratio of CBD to CBN to promote relaxation in your pooch.
Physical Discomfort
Ever been pulled back from the brink of blissful sleep by a sudden itch? Physical discomfort is a frequent cause of nighttime restlessness in your dogs, too.
You might notice your dog scratching, for example. Or maybe they keep shifting about, seemingly unable to get comfortable.
Our Paw & Skin Balm helps support skin health. It helps maintain the normal moisture content of the skin.
If your dog's skin already seems perfect, perhaps their discomfort lies elsewhere. We've all been kept awake by an upset stomach, for example.
We offer grass-fed bovine colostrom for dogs, which supports gut health, normal bowel function, and may help with occasional gastric distress. Another option is glutathione, which enhances the immune response and supports the normal detoxification processes.
Environmental Factors
Your dog's physical health might be perfect, but they might still not get a peaceful night's sleep. If that's the case, you might want to turn your attention to their sleep environment.
Research shows that pre-sleep experiences and location both affect your dog's sleep.¹³
Pet parents might not consider this too important. After all, some dogs can seemingly sleep anywhere.
But plenty of environmental factors can interrupt your dog's sleep. Loud noises are an obvious example.
If you think your dog is being kept awake by sounds, consider a white noise machine. Alternatively, you could try playing some calming music. Two studies found that dogs seemed calmer when treated to classical music. ¹⁴
Ensure that your dog has a safe sleeping environment. That means a secure location, like a crate or dedicated room, where they can feel at ease.
Of course, a comfy bed might also help.
Lack of Bedtime Routine
Our canine companions need a bedtime routine, just like us. If your dog's bedtime routine is interrupted — or is nonexistent — they may well struggle to settle down.¹⁵
Insufficient Exercise
If you've ever tried to sleep after a day of doing nothing, you know how important it is to exercise. Exercise isn't just important for your dog's overall well-being. It's crucial in helping them settle down at night.
Without sufficient exercise, your dog might not be tired enough to sleep at bedtime. All that excess energy still has to go somewhere.
How to Help Your Dog Have Better Sleep
We've covered some of the most common potential causes of your dog's restlessness. Now, let's explore some helpful tips and tricks you can use to help your dog settle down.
CBD Oil
As mentioned above, CBD oil promotes relaxation. In one Cornell study, 83% of dogs given a CBD chew before a stressful event showed fewer stress-related behaviors.¹⁶
We offer a few different kinds of CBD oil. If you want CBD oil without other additives, we have a variety of hemp extracts. Alternatively, consider our Balance Hemp Extract, which mixes CBD with CBDA to help your dog manage normal stress.
We also offer a Quick Calm CBD spray for easy application.
Rethink Your Dog's Diet
Research shows that diet impacts sleep in dogs.¹⁷
Too much protein, for example, can lead to restlessness. That's just the tip of the iceberg. All kinds of dietary imbalances can lead to sleeplessness.
In short, it's crucial to ensure your dog is getting a healthy, balanced diet. Try to give them food with high-quality ingredients if possible.
Build a Better Bedtime Routine
Sticking to a routine might help your dog settle down at night.
For example, you might want to take them for a regular evening walk. That could help your dog unwind, get out any remaining energy, and let them know bedtime is approaching.
Another tip is to avoid stimulating your dog at night. If you jazz them up right before bed, they might struggle to settle down again.
Keeping a regular feeding routine is also important. For example, we train our dogs to expect a couple of pieces of kibble at bedtime. This makes them look forward to going to bed!
Get Them Moving
Exercise is a great tool to help promote restful sleep in humans. The same is true for dogs.
Make sure your dog is getting enough exercise. Interactive play sessions can help provide mental stimulation, which can burn energy just like physical exercise.
Other Things to Consider
Why Is My Dog Pacing At Night?
Pacing could mean your dog is restless, perhaps because they haven't had enough exercise. However, studies also show that pacing can be a sign of stress or worry.¹⁸
If you're exercising your dog and they're still pacing, consider CBD oil or a calming treat to keep them relaxed.
Letting Your Dog Sleep In Your Bed
Sleeping with your dog can be so tempting. After all, they're cuddly, soft, warm... What's not to love?
Well, for one thing, your dog's natural sleep routine might negatively impact your sleep. Remember, it's entirely normal for dogs to wake up regularly throughout the night. Your pet might wake up dozens of times throughout the night, and each time they do, they might wake you up as well.⁴
That said, one study from the Mayo Clinic found that your furry friend might not actually disrupt your sleep as much as some people think. ¹⁹
However, there's something else to consider: Whether you are interrupting your dog's sleep. In one study, 9 out of the 14 owners participating disrupted their dogs' sleep! ²⁰
If you're a somewhat restless sleeper, you might want to give your dog their own bed. They might not like it, but it could be for the best. And as pet parents, we sometimes need to resist the puppy dog eyes for the greater good.
Conclusion
Sleep is just as important for your dog's health as it is for yours. Plenty of things can interrupt or undermine your dog's beauty sleep, so it's important to take steps to ensure they're sleeping well.
Much of that involves general steps to improve your dog's health overall; things like a healthy diet, exercise, and so on. But specific supplements, like CBD oil, and techniques, like a bedtime routine or calming music, might also help you calm your restless dog at night.
If you try all of the above and your dog's restlessness persists, check in with your vet. They'll be able to help you figure out how to help your dog get to sleep.
Keep Reading: 9 Signs That Your Dog Has Seasonal Allergies
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Sources
- The association of pet ownership and sleep quality and sleep disorders in United States adults | Human-Animal Interactions
- Long-term motor activity recording of dogs and the effect of sleep deprivation | Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences
- Time-activity budget of urban-adapted free-ranging dogs | acta ethologica
- Your dog may be wilder than you think, according to canine sleep research
- Synchrony in chronotype and social jetlag between dogs and humans across Europe - Christoph Randler, Juan Francisco Díaz-Morales, Konrad S Jankowski, 2018
- Brain scans show dogs learn when sleeping—just like people | Science | AAAS
- Sleep in the dog: comparative, behavioral and translational relevance - ScienceDirect
- Study Sets Baseline for Sleep Patterns in Healthy Adult Dogs | NC State News
- Sleep in the dog: comparative, behavioral and translational relevance - ScienceDirect
- Sleep-wake cycles and other night-time behaviours of the domestic dog Canis familiaris - ScienceDirect
- Sleep Duration and Behaviours: A Descriptive Analysis of a Cohort of Dogs up to 12 Months of Age
- Dog owners’ job stress crosses over to their pet dogs via work-related rumination | Scientific Reports
- Sleep in the dog: comparative, behavioral and translational relevance - ScienceDirect
- Is Music Therapeutic for Dogs? – American Kennel Club
- Do Dogs Need a Set Bedtime? Understanding Canine Sleep Better
- CBD: What you need to know about its uses and efficacy | Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
- The Effect of Diet on Your Dog's Sleep Quality
- Prevalence, comorbidity, and behavioral variation in canine anxiety - ScienceDirect
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Let the dogs sleep
- Sleep-wake cycles and other night-time behaviours of the domestic dog Canis familiaris - ScienceDirect
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Earth Buddy is an environmentally conscious and family-owned company dedicated to providing natural solutions for pets. From our CBD oils to our colostrum supplements, our products are designed to promote calmness and encourage relaxation for our furry friends. To learn more and stay connected, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Pinterest.
