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Is your dog sleeping well?

If you don't take a nap or go to bed at night, your dog's health will be compromised. I think the same can be said for us humans. If you don't get enough sleep, your immunity will be weakened and you will have mental anxiety. This can lead to poor health, behavioral problems, and depression.

When we wake up in the morning, we feel refreshed when we are exposed to the sunlight. By being exposed to the sunlight again

It is also recognized to have an effect on a good night's sleep. These have been found to have the same effect in dogs. Let's take a quick look at the mechanism.

All are the work of hormones in the brain

When the eyes catch the sunlight, the secretion of a hormone called serotonin becomes active in the brain. Serotonin is a hormone that keeps the brain awake and suppresses excitement. Get mental calm and comfort. It is said that when this serotonin is deficient, it becomes impossible to control excessive excitement and anxious feelings. This serotonin deficiency is also a cause of depression.

Since this serotonin is a material for the production of melatonin, which is a hormone that controls sleep, there is a relationship that if serotonin is deficient, melatonin is also deficient. This melatonin is secreted when it gets dark and works to lower the pulse, body temperature, blood pressure, etc. and prepare for sleep.

The body clock is functioning by the action of these serotonin and melatonin. In other words, when serotonin is properly secreted, melatonin is produced, which makes it easier to wake up in the morning and sleep soundly at night.

By the way, this melatonin has an antioxidant effect and works to improve the hormonal balance.

The ingredients for serotonin are in food

By now, I understand that serotonin is secreted by sunlight and calms my feelings, and that serotonin makes melatonin and works for sleep. But there is something you need to do to secrete this serotonin. That is tryptophan, which is the material for serotonin. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid and is mainly found in proteins. Ingredients that dogs can eat include lean meat, fish and dairy products. In addition, vitamin B6 is required to produce these in the body. Vitamin B6 is contained in eggs, so tryptophan can be taken in by feeding the above-mentioned meat with heated eggs.

This tryptophan can also be given as a supplement. However, it has been pointed out that overdose can lead to cirrhosis, so it is best to review your diet first, and if that is not enough, try supplements under the diagnosis of a veterinarian.

So what to do

It's a complicated story full of rattling, but if your diet and sleep are healthy, your immunity will increase and your mind will become more stable. So, check the ingredients of your dog food and change it to one that contains meat instead of grain. Then check if it contains vitamin B6.

And next is the morning walk. Often, some owners take short walks in the morning and more at night. But the opposite is preferable. I understand that I am busy in the morning. However, considering your health, it is better to have more mornings. By taking a good walk in the morning, you can fully enjoy the morning sun. This is because it is possible to stimulate the secretion of melatonin by stimulating the secretion of serotonin in the morning sun. Melatonin is not secreted several hours after the start of serotonin secretion and only when it gets dark, so the morning sun works better than sunbathing in the daytime. If you really don't have time to go for a walk in the morning, you can take your dog out to the front door or balcony to sunbathe while you're preparing to go out in the morning.

I am also promoting sunbathing to the owners who come to consult with me. Some benefits have been achieved in highly aggressive dogs that are stressful, agitated, and suspected of being deficient in serotonin. Of course, sunbathing does not solve everything, but it plays an important role as one of the countermeasures. If we don't get enough sleep, our heads won't work, we'll be frustrated, and we'll be injured. The same is true for dogs. My dog can't say "I haven't fallen asleep lately", so I want to give us an environment where the body clock works soundly.

You and your dog want to be healthy by getting a healthy diet and sleep, and taking a good walk in the morning.