Most of us can’t imagine sleeping without a warm, cozy blanket. It makes us feel protected and safe and is an important part of our bedtime routine. But as it turns out, sleeping without a blanket might have many health benefits, and it can even help you fall asleep faster.
We at Bright Side aren’t used to sleeping without blankets, but after doing this research, we are definitely ready to give it a try.
There’s no doubt it feels cozy and warm to wrap yourself up in a blanket, but sleeping without one can actually help you shed a few pounds. Sleeping in cooler conditions gives your metabolism a boost and increases the amount of “good” brown fat in your body. Although the term brown fat may not sound appealing, it actually allows you to burn calories faster and helps your body get rid of excess blood sugar.
As it’s getting colder outside, we naturally feel tempted to turn the thermostat up and cover ourselves with several blankets. But cooler temperatures actually affect how you sleep and make it easier to drift off. Our body temperature begins to drop around 60 to 90 minutes prior to falling asleep, and if your environment is too hot during this time, your body will waste more energy trying to regulate the temperature, which will cause you to stay awake longer.
If you’ve ever woken up in the middle of the night and felt like you wanted to kick off your blanket, there’s actually a scientific explanation for it. Cooler temperatures at night help us sleep better, and if it gets too warm, it can interrupt our sleep. The perfect sleeping temperature falls between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit. Higher temperatures can disrupt your rapid eye movement stage, causing you to wake up tired, even if you feel like you’ve slept enough.
Warm, heavy blankets can trap heat around your body and, in addition to disturbing your sleep, they may contribute to a specific type of breakout called sweat pimples. Thick, heavyweight blankets that are made of synthetic fabrics don’t allow your body to regulate its temperature and may cause sweating. Sweat combined with heat and friction can clog your pores, which, in turn, can lead to acne.
Do you sleep with or without a blanket? Would you be able to part with your blanket for the sake of your health?
I sleep on a pure cotton sheet with a matress protector under the sheet to stop sweat getting in the matress. I only have one cotton sheet to cover me at night as i like to burrow, but i have to sleep in a cool environment with an open window.
