Are you a cat person or a dog person? And more importantly—are you a pets-in-the-bed person? According to a recent survey of US pet owners, 43% of pet dogs and 49% of pet cats sleep on their owner’s bed. Cuddling up with your furry friend can be a real comfort, but does it actually help or harm your sleep? The experts are divided on whether it’s worth it, so take a look at the health perks and drawbacks below to help you decide.

Possible Benefits of Sharing The Bed With Your Pet

If your pet doesn’t disturb your sleep by waking you up throughout the night, there are definitely potential benefits for letting them sleep with you—though it might depend what kind of critter you allow into the bedroom.

Comfort & Security (with dogs): In a study of 962 American women, dog owners who let their pets sleep in the bed self-reported increased feelings of comfort and security. Conversely, cats who slept in their owner’s bed were reported as equally as disruptive as human sleep partners and were associated with weaker feelings of comfort and security.

Mental & Physical Health: In general, studies show that pet ownership is a positive thing. Having a pet in the home can improve human mental health, and even improve human physical health by lowering blood pressure. It stands to reason that if petting your dog or cat can reduce your blood pressure and heart rate, cuddling up with them at night might help, too.

The Case Against Sharing The Bed With Your Pet

While sleeping with pets might bring people joy, there are some risks to this additional close contact with your pets.

Allergies: It might surprise you to hear that millions of Americans with pet allergies live with a pet anyway. If you have allergies, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences advises against letting your pets into the bedroom at any time of day to help you avoid exposure to their hair and dander during sleep.

Lower Sleep Quality: Cats and dogs have different sleeping schedules than us humans. Dogs are polyphasic sleepers and average three sleep-wake cycles per nighttime hour, compared to humans who are monophasic sleepers (one period of sleep during a 24-hour cycle). Cats are crepuscular, meaning they’re most active at dawn and dusk. This all to say—your pets may wake up and want your attention at night, and be especially bothersome if they’re in your bed. Not to mention, some pets snore!

Germ & Disease Exposure: While rare, it is possible to get a number of infections, diseases and parasites from pets. It’s extremely important, whether your pets sleep in bed with you or not, to make sure they’re up to date on regular veterinary examinations and vaccinations. For small children and adults with compromised immune systems, it’s recommended that you avoid sleeping with, kissing, or being licked by pets—and always wash your hands after your pets lick you.

At the end of the day, it’s up to you and your family to decide whether pets belong in the bed at night. But if your pets are regularly contributing to poor sleep quality, you may want to reconsider your sleeping arrangements.