BUFFALO, NY - Women looking to get a sound night sleep may want to consider cuddling up to Fido.

According to new research by Christy L. Hoffman, PhD, women sleep better alongside ‘man’s best friend’ than they do their human counterparts. The associate professor of animal behavior and director of anthrozoology found that human partners, as well as cats, were equally disruptive to women’s sleep, whereas dogs were less likely to wake their owners.

“Dogs’ sleep patterns more closely coincide with sleep patterns in humans than do the sleep patterns of cats, which may explain why dog moms stick to a stricter sleep schedule,” explains Hoffman. “Additionally, dogs as bed partners scored higher on comfort and security than did human and feline partners.”

Hoffman’s research is based on a survey of nearly 1,000 women living in the United States. Her findings were published in the November issue of Anthrozoos, which examines the interactions of people and animals, and have since garnered national and international media attention.

In the months since Hoffman’s research was released, more than 100 local and national media outlets reported on her findings including People magazine, ABC News, CBS News, Psychology Today, The New York Post and the Huffington Post.

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Click here to read Hoffman's research in its entirety.