How do blankets affect your sleep? On a cold winter’s night, there is no better feeling than climbing into bed and wrapping yourself up in cozy blankets. Blankets are a source of comfort for many people, but they also serve an important biological function by helping us to maintain our body temperature throughout the night.
If we’re too cold or too hot, we’re unlikely to sleep well, and some scientists theorize that fluctuations in temperature may be responsible for the tossing and turning so many of us experience. Long story short, your blankets matter.
How Do Blankets Affect Your Sleep? Fixing Your Sleeping Temperature
Ideally, you want to keep your room’s sleeping temperature between 65 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit. You can achieve this by leaving a window open or setting your environmental controls to the settings that work for you. You may also sleep easier if you avoid activities that raise your core temperature right before bed. Exercise and hot baths may sound like a great way to tire yourself out and relax, but they work against your body’s natural preparations for sleep.
You may also need to re-evaluate the blankets you sleep with every night. If you tend to stay uncomfortably warm but enjoy the comfort of a blanket, then look for blankets that are made with more breathable materials. It’s fine to keep that super fluffy blanket on your couch, but it may be harming your normal sleeping routine. On the other hand, people who run colder, especially in their extremities, may want to keep an extra blanket at the foot of their bed that they can easily pull up on colder nights.
Couples Don’t Have to Suffer
Speaking from experience, plenty of couples regulate their body temperatures differently. Your partner may run the air conditioner while your toes threaten to develop frostbite or vice versa. It’s unpleasant, but there isn’t much you can do about it. Very few couples are lucky enough to enjoy the same temperature ranges while they sleep. Fortunately, you can increase the quality of both of your sleep cycles by making one minor change.
Rather than using the same comforter or blanket on your bed, it may be beneficial to pick a different blanket for each of you. Two twin or full-sized blankets will provide enough coverage for both of you. But also can allow you to pick the fabrics that fit your personal needs. There’s a double bonus if you sleep with a blanket thief. However, it is unlikely that your choices will aesthetically match. So getting a blanket chest for the foot of your bed is an easy way to store your cozy blankets and leave your bed looking tidy.
When It Doesn’t Work
If you swap out your blankets and see no benefit, then there is a possibility that you require professional New York insomnia treatment. The treatment is designed to help people who struggle to fall asleep at least three times a week and have experienced those symptoms over several months. For people in that scenario, treatment is crucial because they are likely suffering from serious sleep deprivation.
Sleep deprivation can impair your cognitive abilities, affecting your reaction times, memory, and critical thinking. If left untreated, sleep deprivation can become severe. So severe that your cognitive abilities will be close to those of someone who is operating under the influence. In these cases, it isn’t safe for you to drive or operate machinery. Treatment is vital to preventing a tragedy for patients with serious insomnia.
Getting Started With Better Sleep
For those who are concerned that they are experiencing chronic insomnia, treatment starts by contacting a doctor that specializes in sleep medicine. Your insomnia doctor at Sleep MD NYC is the premier choice for the region. Together you can pursue a defined diagnosis and begin treatment to reclaim your sleep.
