Have you ever used an electric blanket? Some individuals are frightened of lying on something that is plugged into the national grid and I have to admit that when I think of electric blankets in that manner, they do sound quite frightening.
However, there are two kinds of electric blankets: there are those that are intended to stay on all night and there are those that are meant to be switched off and unplugged before you get into bed.
The second sort is of course the one to be suggested for those of a nervous disposition. I have never owned an electric blanket, because my father thought that they were for ‘sissys’, but I have slept in beds that made use of electric blankets.
Whilst I stayed over at my maternal grand-parents’ house or my Aunty Lil’s there was always an electric blanket in the bed. My aunty used a pre-warmer and my grand-parents used the ‘always-on’ variety. As a young boy, I have to say that the ‘always-on’ variety of electric blanket was too warm for me.
However, in those days, in the Sixties, houses were not as draft-proof as they are now and I did not know anyone whose house was centrally heated or double glazed. In fact, everyone that I knew used to put an overcoat on the bed in winter if it got especially cold. It did not cross my mind that that was odd, everyone did it.
The fact is that some people feel the cold more than others and there are many reasons for this ranging from frailty to age and sickness. Another reason for using electric blankets is if it is too expensive to heat the whole house or bedroom. It is always going to be cheaper to heat a bed that it is to heat a bedroom. The cost of pre-heating a double bed is still pennies compared with utilizing an electric fire.
Some people, my wife included, likes to keep the background temperature in the bedroom cold. OK, cold in Thailand is around 20c, but while we were in the UK, she insisted that we slept with the windows open in winter and it was really cold. She is not alone in liking to sleep in a warm bed when her face is cold. She says that she gets a better night’s sleep in this fashion.
If you or a sick or old relative would like to try an electric blanket, be cautious where you get it from. In saying this I mean be wary of buying a cheap electric blanket from abroad off eBay in case it is not manufactured to run off the electric supply that you have in your country.
You also have to make certain that the blanket conforms to the health and safety regulations in your country. Electric blankets are safe if you follow basic health and safety rules, but be cautious of ‘always-on’ blankets if you eat in bed.
Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on a number of topics, but is now involved with Personalized Throw Blankets. If you would like to know more, please go along to our website at Woollen Blankets.