June 11th, 2020 by Sarah Miles

You may think that now spring is here, it’s time to put the electric blanket away until the cooler weather arrives in autumn. You certainly can do that, just make sure you store it correctly to avoid damaging it, however you may wish to keep it out because there are several reasons why you may want to use your electric blanket during the summer.

Using an electric blanket in summer may sound like a ridiculous idea but hear us out because it’s not as silly as it sounds:

Manage fluctuations in temperature

One word that can definitely apply to weather at all times of the year in the UK is ‘changeable’. We’ve seen snow in April and temperatures of 21°+ in February so just because the weather starts to turn warm and spring-like one week does not necessarily mean that it can’t drop again by 10° or more the following day. An electric blanket can really help you ride out these fluctuations in temperature without having to turn the heating back on again (when you may not want it on by morning). With a number of heat settings, you can just choose one appropriate to the weather that evening to take the edge off. If you don’t need it on, they still make stylish bed coverings.

Soothe aches and pains

Heat has long been used as a natural and effective form of pain relief. It’s really good for muscular and joint pain because it is a muscle relaxant and heat receptors in our body can block the chemical signals that communicate pain to the brain. You may think that there is enough heat in the summer to not need an electric blanket, but a direct source of heat on a low setting can be really beneficial for this purpose. Because many electric blankets have timers, you can just set it for a short time to ease you into sleep and then turn off.

Improve circulation

One of the many beneficial applications of heat is to improve circulation. When we are warm, our blood flows more freely around our bodies. This increases blood flow to sore areas which can aid the healing process but even if we don’t have any aches and pains, a more regulated circulation can really help us get better quality sleep.

Sweet Dreams Electric Heated Grey XL Throw

Price: £69.98

Buy Now

How to use an electric blanket in the summer

The benefits outlined here show how an electric blanket could be really useful in the summer but, of course, we’re not suggesting you have it on full blast in August. Modern electric blankets have a range of heat settings and you would be amazed at how a very low heat setting can achieve the above advantages without making you feel too warm. Use the timer settings if you only feel you need that little extra warmth to get you off to sleep, rather than having it on all night.