Poor Sleeping Habits & Dogs

Bernie’s Perfect Poop helps dogs get better sleep

There’s a saying that if the dog’s not happy, no one in the family is happy. When dogs cannot get good sleep, you don’t rest well either. How can Bernie’s Perfect Poop help dogs get better sleep?
Photo of Bernie's Perfect Poop grass bits up close.

High-quality fiber can help your dog sleep better by helping him feel more full. Fiber not only helps your dog feel more full, but it also keeps food going through your dog’s digestive system at just the right speed. This means that your dog won’t be constantly triggered by hunger and can hunker down for a nice night time rest. It also means it helps balance your dog’s microbiome and regulates hormones that could make your dog sensitive to insulin, which may make his sleep restless too.
Bernie’s Perfect Poop also combines prebiotics and probiotics to balance your dog’s gut microbiome. When your dog’s gut is healthy and balanced, it allows appetite-reducing hormones to be released in your dog’s body. Again, this means your dog isn’t constantly roaming around looking to fill his tummy. Research continues to find that the gut is like a second brain, and good dog gut health is key to good sleep and for maintaining immunity. Bernie’s prebiotics and probiotics encourage optimal dog gut health to keep your dog’s gut in shape and digestive health strong. Strong digestive health means better mood regulation and the ability for your dog to rest easy.
Every cell of your dog’s body needs nutrients. If your dog is not getting enough nutrition from his food, he may have conflicting signals going on in his gut. Food that’s broken down efficiently can then be absorbed efficiently and lead to a healthier gut that sends proper signals for rest, relaxation and insulin control. When your dog is able to fuel his metabolism properly, everything from sleep cycle to glycolic interaction is regulated better.
Bernie’s Perfect Poop is a 4-in-1 combination of fiber, prebiotics, probiotics, and enzymes. Bernie’s helps bring optimal gut health to your dog, and this means their overall health is in tip-top shape too. When dogs have the right gut health, they’ll be less prone to anxiety that may keep them up, or hunger that may drive them to look for food and overeat constantly. Good, restorative sleep is just as important to your dog as it is to us humans, and Bernie’s is the best way to help your dog have sweet dreams.

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What other pet parents say

I am ordering our second bag right now. I have read other reviews, and I was going to post my own after a while, and give the stuff time to work. I couldn’t be anymore pleased.I started low, and worked my way up to a full dose. My dogs are more playful and sleep all night. It’s nice to get woke up to cleaner smelling breath too! 🙂

– Robert G.

What does a restless dog look like and what are the signs?

Just like in humans, improved and efficient digestion in our dogs can help their overall sleep patterns. Research continues to show that diets rich in quality fiber and reduced sugar intake may help improve sleep depth and sleep cycles in humans, and it stands to reason it can do the same for our dogs.

When your dog is restless, he may very likely not be getting restorative sleep. A dog that isn’t getting enough restorative sleep (yes, there is such a thing) may be irritable and restless and may even appear to be in discomfort as he continually tries to reposition himself. If he’s anxious or feeling hungry all the time despite proper feedings, he’ll miss out on good restorative sleep. In what is like a vicious cycle, if your dog isn’t getting enough sleep, that can cause a buildup of stress hormones like cortisol, leading him to feel even more anxious or even aggressive and lose more sleep.

Most important to know about poor sleep in dogs is that if your dog isn’t getting enough sleep, he is also likely dealing with a weakened immune system that can put hi at risk for serious medical conditions.

The symptoms of poor sleep in dogs are:

Lack of energy/lethargy
Irritability
Aggressive/destructive behaviors
Cognitive dysfunction/confusion
Body weight gain
Lack of motivation to play
Recurrent infection
Anxiety
Constant whining/signs of discomfort
Restlessness in sleep
Night Terrors
Gasping/gagging in sleep

Causes of poor sleep in dogs

Dogs typically sleep 12-14 hours a day. But even though they may be ‘asleep,’ there’s no guarantee that they’re getting quality sleep. The right amount of quality sleep is super important to our dogs. Throughout the day, they’re processing electrical activity happening in their brains, and it’s stored all over the place. Every sniff, whiff and sight they see enters, and they process it and organize it all when they sleep. Humans do as well, and sleep-deprived humans and dogs suffer from brain development, memory, learning and infection protection.

There may be several reasons behind that.

While there’s not a lot of research on the ‘why’ of sleep issues for dogs, we do know dogs can suffer from REM disorders, narcolepsy and sleep apnea (often common in brachycephalic breeds like Pugs). We also know that dogs, like humans, tend to sleep more poorly as they age and their cognitive function begins to slow or deteriorate.

Causes of dog insomnia	Can Perfect Poop help?
Anxiety	Yes
Lack of dietary fiber	Yes
Poor digestion	Yes
Poor nutrient absorption	Yes
Poor mental motivation	Yes
Poor hormone regulation	Yes
Joint pains	Yes
Lack of exercise
Sleep apnea
Age
Narcolepsy
Injury

Illustration of Bernie sitting and smiling.

If your dog seems to be in pain when sleeping, or is pained when he’s trying to sleep, you’ll want to talk to your vet. Sometimes they may be in pain from a joint or muscle injury, or something else internal, and that’s what’s preventing their sleep or making it hard. Having your vet ensure that all is well is important.

More information about poor sleeping habits in dogs

Good dog gut health is key to your dog getting his best rest… If your dog’s gut is healthy, he’ll have a healthy digestive tract. A healthy digestive tract means that food moves through quickly with all important nutrients absorbed. When your dog feels fuller and his gut is well fed, his brain can regulate hormone production and he can sleep better. And then while sleeping better, he’ll be able to process learned information from the day and keep his immune systems healthier too. Dogs with balanced guts sleep better, putting them in a better position to avoid illnesses or diseases later.

Fiber may help your dog sleep better

Fiber is good for many reasons, but did you know that high-quality fiber can help your dog sleep better? The bottom line is that fiber helps give your dog a feeling of fullness. When your dog feels satiated, they aren’t as prone to feelings of hunger keeping them awake and driving them to find food. They’re not stressed, worried about how to fill their tummies, and they’re not going to overproduce cortisol, the stress hormone, out of worry.

More, a high-quality fiber like that in Bernie’s Perfect Poop will help balance your dog’s gut. This means he’ll be able to absorb all the nutrients he needs to keep his gut at its healthiest. A healthy gut doesn’t just keep your dog healthier overall, it keeps his brain healthy and able to sleep more easily too. Balanced microbiomes communicate with their brains (the gut-brain axis) and give them a better mind frame. With that overall mood improvement, they are less prone to stress or anxiety cravings. Not to mention, who doesn’t love falling asleep on a ‘full’ tummy?

This ‘full feeling’ and balanced gut happen when you supplement with a premium fiber. Bernie’s uses Miscanthus grass. It’s a healthier alternative to other cheap fiber fillers some supplements use, and is an all-natural, non-GMO, grain-free, gluten-free fiber that is sustainably grown. It’s grown without herbicides or pesticides and is good for the planet and for our dogs.

Prebiotics and Probiotics may help with dog hormone regulation and dog insomnia

Prebiotics and probiotics are what make up good dog gut health. Prebiotics and probiotics balance out your dog’s digestive tract bacteria and microbiome. They’re the warriors in your dog’s body’s ‘second brain,’ and they play a pivotal role in hormone regulation and insomnia in your dog.

Probiotics are the good bacteria in your dog’s gut. Adding that good bacteria through supplementation limits the growth and effects of harmful bacteria. When the good bacteria in your dog’s gut get the proper nutrition, they multiply and create a healthy environment. In this healthy environment, probiotics also release appetite-reducing hormones. Not only does this help with hormone regulation, it also helps reduce stress on your dog for trying to ‘find the next meal.’ This reduces anxiety and helps promote better sleep too.

Studies done on rats have found that dietary prebiotics have shown themselves to improve sleep, and this may be because good guts with healthy gut flora can regulate stress. When your dog’s gut is in check, their mood and overall brain health can help them sleep like babies because they’re not stressed and their immune system is strong.

The prebiotic in Bernie’s is Inulin. Inulin acts as a fertilizer to feed the probiotics in your dog’s lower digestive tract. It makes sure that the good bacteria in your dog’s gut continue to keep hormones regulated and stress at bay, and that’s what makes doggy dreams come easier. A balanced gut is the best way to help your dog’s insomnia.

Enzymes may help your dog get a good night’s sleep

Digestive enzymes are what break the food you feed your dog down and allows them to absorb nutrients efficiently. Amylase breaks down and digests carbs and starches; Cellulase breaks fiber down. Protease breaks protein down into amino acids and Lipase breaks fat down into much-needed fatty acids and glycerol. Additionally, Bernie’s includes Hemicellulose, Papain and Bromelain to encourage efficient nutrient absorption and improve your dog’s metabolism and gut health.

Other ways to help

Increase exercise opportunities
Serve nutrient-dense food that’s low in carbohydrates
Have comfortable dog bedding
Reduce stressful situations
Serve smaller meals throughout the day

Additional reading

Related terms

Insomnia
Narcolepsy
Brachycephaly
Rem dysfunction
Sleep apnea