If you find that your dog is very restless at night and doesn’t sleep much, read on to learn potential causes and solutions to helping your dog have a healthy sleep schedule.

Just like it does with humans, restlessness at night will affect animals in negative ways. If you find your dog not sleeping at night, know that it is a common problem. Regardless of insomnia or puppy energy, you might find yourself suffering from lack of rest as well.

With any problem, you need to know the cause before you can implement a solution. This is the same concept with pet problems. You don’t need to worry though, there are solutions to every problem and hopefully we can help you find your solution to this.

The Cause of Sleepless Nights

Because of the fact that there are so many causes to sleep deprivation for your pet at night, we want to do more than just list the reasons. We will be explaining different solutions specified to the problems that we list.

Here are some reasons why your dog might not be sleeping at night:

Health Problems

If you find that your dog is getting sleepless nights, or restless sleep, it is possible for it to be health related. It could mean that they are experiencing different pains or discomforts somewhere in or on their body. Even oral diseases can cause sleep deprivation.

If this is the case, or even if you’re not exactly sure, take your dog to the vet to rule out the possibility of health issues or physical problems.

Noisy Environment

If there is a crying baby, noisy neighbors, even storms and fireworks, noise in general can have the same effect on dogs that it does humans. Too much noise will keep your dog up and it shouldn’t be surprising. If the surrounding environment is noisy, locate the noise and see if you can silence it.

Indigestion

It isn’t uncommon for a dog to experience indigestion if it eats too much or too late. This will affect the sleep of the dog more than you think. An easy solution is to spread out their meals over the course of a day. Avoid giving it too much at night, and most importantly, NO HUMAN FOOD. Their digestive track is much slower, and it could really upset your dog’s stomach.

Exercise Deprived

We are sure they are not deprived of exercise, who doesn’t like playing with their dog? However, there are two types of exercise for dogs. The exercise from play and then the exercise from walks. They work different muscles and burn energy. So, walking dogs regularly and playing often can help tire the pup out for a good night’s rest. It is also wise to research how much exercise your dog needs for breed and age.

Temperature Control

Though you might have that thermostat set to the perfect setting for you, is it the perfect setting for your dog too? Also, check the area around their dog bed or where they sleep. You should be able to tell if it is too hot or too cold. If necessary, move the bed to a better spot with a more comfortable temperature.

If Your Dog Doesn’t Sleep At Night

Now that you are educated on some of the common causes of sleep deprivation in dogs, you are able to find the solution a lot easier. So, do something about it. Dogs need about 13 hours of sleep a day, a vast majority of this should be at night.

Something is wrong if your dog isn’t getting the sleep that it needs, so make sure you address these issues:

Exercise

Exercise is important for all creatures, humans included. For a dog, it is a way to unwind and get rid of unneeded stress. Also, the exercise will exert some of the energy causing a sleepy night for the pup. It is vital to a dog’s sleep schedule that they are exercised accordingly. An active dog is a dog full of joy.

Location of Sleep

As it was mentioned, the temperature is important for comfort for your dog. However, the location of the dog bed may be the cause of the sleeping problem as it may be a noisy spot or too close to a vent for the dog to get comfortable. If you think your pet finds it hard to sleep in the area they are currently at, change their location and monitor their sleep for a couple days. Do this until you find the right spot for your furry family member.

You are looking for a spot that is temperature controlled and quiet. You want them to be peaceful when they sleep.

Diet

Their diet is important. Make sure they are on a healthy feeding schedule of appropriate portions. Do your research and ask your vet about ideal dietary accommodations for your pet. Avoid giving your dog too much to eat, especially at night. With that being said, it is ideal not to feed your dog too late into the day. Sleeping on a full stomach isn’t ideal for anyone, even dogs.

Healthy Routine

Dogs, like many people, rely on a healthy routine to make sure they are burning enough energy, exercising enough, eating well, and resting at the right times. They are running on instincts, keeping tabs of what comes next throughout their day. So, make it a habit for you to walk your dog regularly at the same time each day. Same with playtime, mealtimes, and other tasks ideal for routines.

Noise

Dogs have a heightened hearing sense. So just because noise isn’t bothering you, maybe the humming humidifier is causing the dog to stay away at night. The best solution for this is to investigate the room that the dog sleeps in to evaluate any noises that it may find distracting or annoying. If you cannot eliminate the noise, then it is ideal to move the dog’s bed to another room or spot.

With that being said, you can see why it would be easy for a dog to lose sleep at night. It is important to remember that just because it doesn’t bother you, it may still affect the dog.