5 things to know about dogs and sleep

NOTE: Serta and Branded Pet Beds are proud sponsors of Life With Beagle's Lulu's Favorite Things campaign, benefiting Harbor House of Central Florida. The 2016 Paws for Peace  walk is this April. Join and help fight domestic abuse.

UPDATE: The giveaway ended March 15, 2016.

This week is National Sleep Awareness Week.

So how aware are you of how your dog sleeps?

Here's 5 things to know about dogs and sleep.

Sleep is just as important for a dog as it is for a human. And while it seems like your dog can sleep anywhere, sometimes having a good place to sleep can be just as important -- and the older the dog, the more comfort they leave.

1) Many dogs sleep 12 to 14 hours a day. But some dogs need more sleep -- 18-20 hours a day. That can include puppies, older dogs and certain breeds. Dogs are largely flexible sleepers. They don't need several continuous hours like we do. They can sleep in spurts. But because of this, they don't get as much REM sleep. Hence, why they sleep more than we do.

2) Boredom can also make them sleep more. An active, healthy dog may sleep less. Dogs that are bored tend to sleep because there is nothing else to do. Beware -- boredom can also lead to behavioral problems.

Dogs have been sleeping like this for ages.

3) Does your dog circle around and rearrange the sleep space? They are building a nest. When the dogs sleep in the wild, they sleep in dens and create a space where they can sleep in a ball. They do this to conserve body heat and protect themselves from predators.

If your dog twitches or groans in their sleep, they are dreaming about something that happened to them.

4) Dogs not only dream, they move and maybe even "speak" in their sleep. When a dog enters REM sleep they will dream. They may twitch, shake or even growl in their sleep. What are dogs dreaming about? Psychologists suspect they are dreaming about everyday dog things -- possibly inspired about things that happened to them that day.

5) And dogs can have sleep problems too. Dogs can get sleep apnea or insomnia, among other things. And these problems can be caused by the same things that cause those problems in humans. A trip to the vet may help your pet.

So a good bed can go a long way toward helping them sleep well.

Branded Pet Beds sells Serta pet beds, using the same technology they use in human beds.

Lulu and Jasmine have this bed, a Serta Quilted Pillow Top Bed. We reviewed it last year. It uses a therapeutic memory foam mattress. We've had our bed for almost a year now, and it still has its shape -- and I've laid on this bed with the dogs from time to time. It's pretty sturdy, and great if you have a dog with joint issues.

Now Branded Pet Beds is bringing Serta's iComfort system to pet beds.

Courtesy Branded Pet Beds.

Here's what Serta has to say about the new iComfort:

"Serta’s Cool Action™ Dual Effects® material is uniquely designed to help reduce average body pressure, which can help reduce tossing and turning for a deeper and more restful sleep. Millions of MicroSupport® gel beads gather under the areas of your dog’s body that need extra support. Technology-driven material combines an open cell structure with an exclusive MicroCool+® gel to significantly increase airflow and the ability to dissipate heat. Together these properties help whisk heat away from the body."