There is a near endless list of home improvement projects you can do around the house. From the floor of the basement to the top of the chimney, there is always something to do or fix or upgrade. Since homeowners, contrary to popular opinion, aren’t made of money, a lot of those projects have a habit of turning into weekend DIY projects.
One of the modern home improvement projects you should be aware of is keeping yourself cool at night. No, we’re not talking about setting the thermostat on the A/C down to minus 50 or whatever. Instead, there are actually some products known as electric cooling blankets that you can buy outright, throw on your bed, and have a better night’s sleep than you’ve had in a long time. It doesn’t require you to do a lick of work either.
Won’t Break The Bank
You’ll be glad to know that the best electric cooling blankets won’t break the bank either. The prices are around a hundred bucks or less and for that, you get a blanket that will let you and your spouse sleep better, cooler, and with less sweat.
Stylish Too
Just in case you’re wondering, these blankets weren’t made for Quasimodo. They’re designed and created to blend into your lifestyle. They are stylish as well as practical. With that out of the way, let’s take a look at how they work.
Cooling Blanket Design
Cooling blankets are a great option for anyone who:
Gets too hot at night
Lives in a hot, humid climate
Takes medication that induces sweating
Cooling blankets work by managing moisture and heat. When you’re too hot, they absorb the heat. When your body gets too cool, they release that trapped heat back to you. This helps keep your body temperature on an even keel all night long. Additionally, they absorb sweat off your body, wicking it into the blanket itself. This enables you to stay dry and cool all night long.
Materials
Cooling blankets are normally made from cotton fabric, natural bamboo viscose, or linen. Those are the best breathable materials, although some cooling blankets are also made from silk. Inside the blanket are several layers. There is a breathable layer of cotton that surrounds an inner layer of tiny glass beads, also known as nanobeads. The beads give the blanket a weighted feel that promotes a better, more restful sleep as well as holding the blanket in place throughout the night. The weight is more evenly distributed than with a normal blanket.
Warm vs Cool
These blankets are reversible. They have a warm side that keeps you warm in cool or cold weather and a warm side for use during the summer or when you’re sweating. You just turn the blanket over depending on what time of year it is. Among that blanket can be used as a stress relief and it’s often called a stress blanket.
Setting The Controls
What is the best temperature to set the blanket at? The answer to that question depends on the individual. Everyone’s body is different. It also depends on whether or not you have any health conditions that affect your body temperature. Medical conditions will throw off the instructions that come with the blankets.
The temperature of the normal human body isn’t set in stone. During the 19th Century, doctors set the standard at 98.6ºF, but lately that has been adjusted slightly downward to 98.2ºF. That’s merely the average though. Your individual body temperature could be a whole degree off from that, either up or down. Your body temperature also fluctuates throughout the day depending on the time of day, your activity level, what you eat or drink, and whether you’re concentrating on work or passively watching TV.
When setting the controls on an electric cooling blanket, the normal range is anywhere from 84ºF to 104ºF. For comparison, the optimal temperature for a swimming pool is between 77 and 82 degrees. The temperature will be cool and refreshing but not cold. This is what the cooling blanket is aiming for.
Machine Washable
Most electric cooling blankets are machine washable and can be dried on low heat. An easier option is to purchase a duvet for the blanket. A duvet is essentially a blanket-sized bag. You put the blanket inside the duvet and zip it closed. When the duvet gets dirty, you unzip it, take out the cooling blanket and wash the duvet. The electric cooling blanket is a simple idea whose time has come and whose benefits are still being realized by the medical community.
