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Why Do We Need a Blanket to Sleep?

On a hot summer night, the last thing you want is another layer of warmth.

So why do we need a blanket to sleep?

The answer has to do with our internal temperature regulation. When we sleep, our bodies naturally lower our core temperature by about two degrees. This drop in temperature signals to our brain that it’s time for sleep.

A blanket helps maintain this lower core body temperature, which leads to deeper and more restful sleep.

Why do we need blankets to sleep?

Despite the hot temperatures, humans have a natural instinct to seek out warmth and comfort when they sleep. This is why many people choose to sleep under a blanket even on the hottest nights. But blankets not only provide us with physical comfort and security, but they also have psychological benefits, helping us feel safe and secure during the night.

Why Do We Need a Blanket to Sleep? — copyright by coralablanket.com

Research has shown that when we sleep with a blanket, our body temperature is regulated, helping us to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

Blankets can help regulate body temperature

Blankets help regulate body temperature by trapping heat that escapes from the body during sleep, creating a warmer microclimate around the skin. This is especially important during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, when our bodies are unable to regulate their own temperature. Weighted blankets have been invented to reduce anxiety and stress leading to a calmer and more peaceful sleep experience. Additionally, blankets can help keep the body warm during the night and are usually paired with the physical sensation of sleep. Overall, blankets can greatly improve sleep quality and duration by providing the necessary comfort and warmth.

Blankets can provide a sense of security and comfort

What benefits do blankets provide for sleep? [Explanation] Blankets provide a number of benefits for sleep, both for physical and emotional reasons. Physically, blankets can help regulate body temperature during REM sleep, as well as increase serotonin and melatonin levels which help us relax and sleep peacefully. Psychologically, blankets provide a feeling of security and protection, as well as an emotional connection and comfort. Overall, blankets are vital in helping us achieve deep, restful sleep.

Blankets can provide sensory stimulation during sleep

Blankets provide sensory stimulation during sleep by helping regulate body temperature, increasing serotonin and melatonin levels, providing a sense of security and protection, and fostering a connection with childhood memories. For example, when we cuddle up under a blanket, our serotonin and melatonin levels increase, which helps us relax and drift off to sleep. The feeling of security and protection provided by a blanket can also help us relax and allow us to stay asleep longer. Additionally, blankets foster a connection with childhood memories, as most people are accustomed to being tucked in with a blanket from a young age. This familiarity can further help to promote deep sleep.

Blankets can be used to help with anxiety and insomnia

Blankets can help with anxiety and insomnia through deep pressure touch stimulation (DPTS). Weighted blanket therapy uses the pressure from the blanket to release serotonin, relaxing the nervous system and allowing for a more restful sleep.

Sleeping with a weighted blanket a day can help reduce anxiety and depression symptoms. The weight of the blanket helps to slow down your heart rate and ease feelings of anxiety.

Blankets can be a part of a sleep routine

A sleep routine is an important part of a healthy sleep regimen and involves going to bed and getting up at the same time every day. It’s also important to create a restful, comfortable environment in your bedroom.

Mental associations with blankets also play a role – we’re conditioned from birth to feel secure and safe when we’re wrapped in a blanket. (Just like when some people feel safer in tiny spaces)

Besides providing warmth, usage of weighted blankets can also be beneficial for those with anxiety and insomnia. The sense of security and comfort they provide can help reduce stress hormones and increase serotonin levels.

Blankets also make our bed comfortable and inviting and make it easier for us to drift off and enjoy a peaceful, restful sleep.

So, having a routine and using a blanket are two important steps to creating a restful sleeping environment that can help you enjoy a quality night’s sleep.

We’re Simply Used to It

Blankets have become an accepted part of sleeping arrangements due to both practical and social reasons. From a social perspective, blankets have become associated with safety and security due to our childhood experiences with blankets. As children, most of us were tucked into bed with a blanket by our parents, teaching us to associate sleep and comfort with being wrapped in something warm.

Additionally, blankets are now much more accessible to everyone and are no longer considered a luxury for the rich and powerful, further reinforcing the idea that blankets are an important part of a comfortable sleep.

Ultimately, the combination of practical and social reasons has contributed to blankets becoming an accepted part of our sleeping arrangements.

Psychological Reasons

One of the psychological reasons for using blankets to sleep is the Pavlovian conditioning we receive from childhood. We associate being tucked in under blankets to the ritual of going to bed and becoming sleepy. Even if the temperature of the room is hot, the thought of not having a blanket can seem bizarre.

The emotional attachment to a favorite blanket can be another psychological reason. Many people use blankets to cuddle while watching a movie, going to a bonfire, or sitting on the ground. It’s comforting to be surrounded by a cozy blanket, providing a sense of security and protection.

Studies have also shown that cuddling under a blanket (not just a weighted blanket!) helps increase serotonin and melatonin levels, both of which are important in helping us relax and fall asleep.

Why do we feel safer under blankets?

Experts believe that this particular sleeping habit is hard-wired to our brains since childhood, when we’re swaddled to prevent us from moving in the middle of the night as babies. People may sleep with blankets to help synch their circadian rhythm, as well as to increase serotonin and melatonin levels, which can help us relax and get some much needed shuteye. Swaddling an adult like a baby is also a good practice originating from Japan.

FAQ

What are the benefits of sleeping with a blanket?

Physically, a blanket can help to trap heat that escapes from the body during sleep and prevent the body from getting too cold. It can also create a “microclimate” around the skin that is warmer than the surrounding environment.

Emotionally, sleeping with a blanket can make you feel safe and protected, which can increase serotonin levels in the brain and decrease the presence of stress hormones.

Weighted blankets can also help to reduce anxiety and insomnia.

Sleeping without a blanket can also have some potential benefits as well.

How does a blanket help with the circadian rhythm?

A blanket helps to regulate our sleep-wake cycle, or circadian rhythm, by helping to maintain our core body temperature during the night. By trapping heat that escapes from the body, a blanket serves to keep us warm and cozy while we sleep. This helps to ensure that we get the necessary sleep duration, leading to better overall sleep quality.

Why Are Blankets So Comforting?

Blankets are often associated with warmth and comfort, and for good reason. We end up feeling an emotional attachment to the blankets we use at home, especially when we’ve had a tough day. This is because when we cuddle under a blanket, our serotonin and melatonin levels increase, which helps us relax and eventually fall asleep. Additionally, the extra weight of the blanket on our body can make us feel secure and protected, just like when we were babies.

All in all, blankets are highly comforting due to their warmth and the feelings of security they provide. The physical and emotional benefits they give us help us relax and get some much needed shuteye, which is why we love sleeping with blankets.

Why you shouldn’t keep one leg outside the blanket?

It may look comfortable to keep one leg outside the blanket during the winter season, however, this could lead to discomfort and a disturbed sleep. The body’s core temperature drops before and during sleep, and the blanket traps heat that escapes the body, preventing it from losing too much heat. This is why it’s important to keep both legs inside the blanket to maintain a regulated temperature throughout the night.

Aside from the physiological benefit of keeping your legs inside the blanket, there is also the psychological component of sleeping with a blanket.

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lezt

Lez Taylor, Founder and CEO of Corala Blanket.
She tried every sleep system and trick to conquer her insomnia for good.

Why Do We Need a Blanket to Sleep? (Even if it’s too hot!)