What Can I Use for My Dog’s Insomnia?

Is your dog having trouble sleeping at night or not sleeping through the night? They may be experiencing insomnia.  There are many different reasons that they may be acting this way and many different things that you can do to help them. 

There are many reasons that your dog may not be sleeping through the night. These are just a few of the most common causes and sleep disorders that are seen in dogs.

• Insomnia: Insomnia is very rare in dogs but may be the cause of your do not wanting to sleep all night. You may even find your dog just wondering around the house in the middle of the night.
• Sleep Apnea: Sleep apnea can cause your dog to wake up when trying to sleep. This is more common in the smooshed face dogs, such as bulldogs or pugs. These dogs have a hard time breathing, and when they are asleep, they can even have a harder time breathing.
• Other medical issues: There are other medical issues that can cause your dog to not sleep very well at night. These injuries can cause your dog to have a difficult time getting comfortable and sleeping all night.
• Pain: If your dog is in pain, they may not be sleeping very well. It can cause them to have a hard time getting comfortable in the bed, and they may always be trying to get comfortable in the night, making it difficult to sleep.
• Infections: If your dog has an infection, they may also not be feeling very good and having a hard time sleeping. Usually, dogs with an infection will also have a temperature. This can keep your dog hot and cause them to have a hard time sleeping
• Difficulty Sleeping due to Age: If your dog is aging, they could have a few problems that make it harder to sleep. Older dogs may have arthritis or even tend to sleep more during the day, causing them to be more restless at night.

There are many different things that you can do to help treat your dog’s insomnia. These are just a few different things that you can try.

• Make them more comfortable sleeping: Give your dog a more comfortable place to sleep at night may make them sleep more soundly through the night.
• Try changing their routine or bed: If your dog’s bed is older, try to get them a new bed. The stuffing in their bed may have become more flat and uncomfortable. Look into getting them a new bed to help them sleep more comfortably. Some dogs also get tired of the same routine, and changing up their routine will help them sleep a little better.
• Feed them later: Your dog may not be sleeping very well because they are hungry. Try to feed them a little closer to bedtime to see if this helps them sleep a little better.
• Exercise before bed to tire them out: Your dog may be sleeping too much during the day, making it hard for them to sleep at night. Try taking them for a long walk or other strenuous exercises right before bedtime. This will help make them more exhausted and sleep much better during the night.
• Calming aids: Try using calming aids or other anxiety medication to help them sleep a little better during the night. Many of these calming aids have lavender and melatonin that help keep your dog calm and rest better at night.
• Treating pain or problems if there is an underlying issue: If your dog is in pain or has an underlying condition, make sure that you are giving them pain medications or treating any disease that they may have
• See your vet: If nothing else works, go to your vet. They can examine your dog to see if they have any issues. They will want to run blood work and take x rays to see what all is going on with your dog. They can also prescribe your dog medication that will help them sleep much better at night.

If your dog has insomnia, there are a few things that you can do to help your dog’s insomnia get better. These are a few things that you will need to do for a dog with insomnia.

• Change of Bed to an Orthopedic Bed That is More Comfortable: Orthopedic dog beds usually provide more support than a traditional dog bed. These will help alleviate any pressure points and making your dog more comfortable when they are sleeping
• Toys for Play Just Before Bed: If you play with your dog right before bed will help them get tired and sleep more during the night. You can also give your dog a few toys to play within their bed right before they go to sleep. If the toy is quiet, you can even leave it with them to let them have something to play with if they do wake up in the middle of the night to help them go back to sleep
• Calming Aids such as CBD Oil & Melatonin: CBD and Melatonin can be given to dogs to help them sleep better. Many of these are in the form of a dog treat, so it makes it much easier and enjoyable for your dog to take these supplements

If your dog is suffering from insomnia, there are many things that you can look for to figure out why they have this issue. Once you figure out what is causing them to experience insomnia, it is much easier to fix these issues. If you cannot figure out why your dog is having such a hard time sleeping at night, it would be best to talk with your vet. There may be an underlying disease causing your dog not to sleep well at night. Your vet can help your dog get back to their happy life and sleeping through the night.