You find yourself tossing and turning at night and your pillow is the only thing that can help you out. It seems like they have magical power and we fall asleep faster with them covering us. Also, the hot evenings are no different. There are a couple of reasons why we’re so close to them and once you’ve understood why it all makes sense.
It regulates the temperature of our body.
We are warm-blooded animals, which means our body controls its internal temperature and this is what allows us to stay warm. Once we’re in deep sleep, though, all our power slips away — this is when we’re seeking support from the things around us. And blankets help our body adapt and sustain the appropriate temperature.
Blankets are an essential part of our bedtime routine.
We are all “habit animals” and this has an immense effect on why we need our blankets. Even if it’s not about feeling safe, we’ve been using blankets all our life and it’s gravitated into our routine ever since. And when we go to bed and we cover ourselves with a sheet, we get a signal from our body that it’s time to sleep.
Blankets lower stress and anxiety.
Serotonin is one of the “feel-good” chemicals in keeping us satisfied and calm. It is hard to fall asleep when we’re tired and nervous. When we cover ourselves, however, the amount of this chemical increases, and those feelings begin to fade away.
Blankets help us fall asleep.
Blankets create a microclimate: a barrier where the temperature is not significantly increasing. This warms our skin and the factors surrounding it that refresh our body doesn’t affect us as much. So, we ‘re falling asleep quicker and getting great, less disturbed sleep.
We feel protected and safe.
Blankets activate our sense of protection because the fear of darkness was the most common fear we had when we were kids. And when the sensation started we should absolutely cover ourselves up. It was our magical getaway that made us feel safe and have fought our fear. A sense of comfort remains with us today when we’re under our covers.
Do you sleep with your blanket on even if it’s hot? Does it help you fall asleep faster?
