If you have a hard time drifting off to sleep, you’re not alone. A team of scientists in Hungary has discovered that dogs toss and turn all night after a bad day— just like we do.
Dog lovers around the world are reacting strongly to this news. After all, it’s a wee bit heartbreaking, isn’t it?
What’s really behind those puppy dog eyes?
While the study makes no claim that dogs are truly reflective in the way that humans are, the evidence suggests that dogs are more conscious of past events than previously thought.
How it worked
A team of scientists measured the sleep of a golden retriever, sheepdog, Lab, and Jack Russell terrier during a three-hour period.
Before they snoozed out, the subject dogs were given a positive or negative experience. The “happy experience” meant playing with their owner for six minutes while also receiving gentle petting and conversation. The “negative experience” dogs were left on a leash and ignored by their owner (again, just for a short period!) After that, a researcher came into the room looking into the dog’s eyes but not saying anything.
The latter dogs had only 40 to 50 minutes of deep non-REM sleep, compared to an hour for those who had a positive experience before bed.
Big mood
So now I have to lie awake at night thinking about how dogs lie awake at night thinking about their problems …. https://t.co/ntHysPtMty
— crishaa (@germanndasavage) June 27, 2018
Just think of the implications! What if instead of chasing rabbits in their dreams, our dogs are actually winning an argument with that funny-looking puppy from down the block? Or, you know, defending us from the mail carrier?
Chasing rabbits or thinking of the perfect comeback?
The study is the first of its kind to look at dog sleep patterns specifically, and we hope there will be more to come.
_
Hat Tip: Lad Bible