Why We Can’t Sleep Without a Blanket, Even on a Hot Night

You find yourself tossing and turning at night, and the only thing that helps you out is your blanket. It seems like they have magical power and with them covering us, we fall asleep faster. Even hot nights are no different. There are a few reasons why we are so attached to them and once you learn why, it will all make sense.

We at Bright Side found out why we use our blankets and now we are sharing this with all of you.

It regulates the temperature of our body.

We are warm-blooded creatures, which means that our body regulates its internal temperature, and this is what helps us stay warm. However, when we are in a deep sleep, all our control fades away — this is when we seek help from the things around us. And blankets helps our body adjust and maintain the temperature we need.

Blankets are an essential part of our bedtime routine.

We are also “creatures of habit” and this has a huge impact on why we need our blankets. Even if it is not about feeling safe, we have been using blankets our whole life and it has been engraved in our routine since then. So, when we go to bed and cover ourselves with a blanket, our body receives a signal that it is time to sleep.

Blankets lower stress and anxiety.

Serotonin is one of the “feel-good” chemicals that plays an important role in keeping us happy and calm. When we are stressed and anxious, it is hard to fall asleep. However, once we cover ourselves, the amount of this chemical increases and those feelings start to go away.

Blankets help us fall asleep.

Blankets create a microclimate: a barrier where the temperature doesn’t change very much. This warms up our skin and the surrounding factors that cool down our body don’t affect us as much. So, we fall asleep faster and have a better and less disturbed sleep.

We feel protected and safe.

Blankets trigger our sense of safety because the most common fear that we had when we were kids was the fear of darkness. So, when that feeling started we would cover ourselves completely. It was our magical getaway that fought our fear and made us feel protected. This feeling of safety still stays with us today when we are under our blankets.

Do you sleep with your blanket on even if it’s hot? Does it help you fall asleep faster?