August 30th, 2018 by Chris Chapman

With the rising cost of heating making the headlines every winter, more and more people are turning to electric blankets to save on their energy bills. But why is this? There are a number of benefits of electric blankets that a lot of people might not know, so read on to learn how you can keep warm for less this winter!

1. Electric Blankets are Cheaper Than Central Heating

Electric blankets can be a stylish addition to your home - and very cosy! New electric blankets are incredibly efficiently designed and will keep you warm for a fraction of the cost of your central heating. Electric blankets only need to use enough energy to keep you warm rather than your whole room, so if you get a fitted underblanket that fits onto your mattress or a heated throw that’s big enough to cover two or more people, you can heat yourself and your family without spending a fortune. Get a plush, thick electric blanket to increase your savings – it’s worth spending a bit more on a well-made, cosy electric blanket as better-quality material retains heat better. This means your electric blanket will heat up quicker and will keep you cosier without using much electricity. Long-term, an electric blanket will pay for itself with the energy savings you’ll be making!

2. Electric Blankets Help with Arthritis, Sciatica, and Aches and Pains

When you apply heat to an injury or to the source of arthritis or sciatica pain, the heat receptors in your body actually block out the pain signals being sent to your brain, meaning any pain you might feel quickly melts away. In addition, it increases circulation around your body, helping you stay more flexible. With electric blankets, your whole body is kept perfectly cosy, giving you a relaxing and contented feeling and (if you use your blanket overnight) stopping you from feeling stiff in a morning. If you’re suffering from a chronic, painful condition like arthritis or sciatica, an electric blanket can help prevent the onset of more severe pain at night and help you sleep soundly once again.

3. Electric Blankets Help You Sleep Better

You might know that there are different stages to sleep (five to be exact) and that our bodies naturally cycle through these stages during the night. If you’re disturbed by a sudden temperature change, you can be pulled out of a deep sleep without waking up, meaning you won’t feel rested when you wake up in the morning. Electric blankets keep your body at a cosy, consistent temperature, which helps it to naturally progress through the stages of sleep as it should. When you start using an electric blanket through the night, you might notice you’ve got more energy and are more productive in a morning!

4. Electric Blankets Tell Your Body to Go to Sleep

Your circadian rhythm is your bodies’ internal clock; it’s how your body knows when to fall asleep and when to wake up. It can be influenced by several things, including whether it’s light or dark, diet and activity, and the temperature. If your temperature changes a lot while you’re in bed, your circadian rhythm gets disrupted, so you can struggle to fall asleep and you might find yourself waking up earlier than you should. An electric blanket keeps you at a comfortable and consistent temperature all night, meaning you’ll stay in a healthy sleep schedule even as the temperature drops.

5. Electric Blankets are Scientifically Proven to Boost Your Mood

Your body has to use a lot of energy to keep itself warm. When you have a heated blanket keeping you warm, your body doesn’t need to use as much energy to stay at the right temperature, so it sends contented signals to your brain, making you feel happier and more relaxed. This is why hot baths, steaming mugs of cocoa, and snuggly electric blankets make you feel so much better on a cold night! If you get a heated blanket that’s soft and plush, that’ll only boost the feel-good effect! Our brains are programmed to like it when we feel and cuddle up to soft things (scientists think we evolved this way to encourage us to pick up and protect our babies), so getting an electric blanket that’s soft will help pick you up when you’re feeling down.