Electric Blanket

I am shopping around for a good electric blanket this year. We have oil heat in our home and the cost of fuel is really high this season. Our family is keeping the heat pretty low and this is not really a problem during the day. We have a wood burner in the basement that helps keep the chill off, but the fire goes out in the wee hours of the morning leaving us shivering.

We find ourselves waking up in the middle of the night because of the chill. The problem is especially evident in our bedroom because it is in an older part of the home. Our daughter’s nursery is cozy and warm all night long, but my husband and I literally freeze. An electric blanket seems to be the perfect solution to our winter woes.

This idea does not come without some thought about how different my husband and I are. I tend to get the chills while he is peeling clothes off. I sit under a couple of throws on the couch while he is sitting in shorts and a t-shirt. If we bought an electric blanket, it would have to have different temperatures for each side.

When it comes to sleeping comfort, my husband and I actually prefer the temperature to be a little lower. Neither of us can sleep when it is too warm but sometimes regular bedding just is not enough to keep us comfortable at night. The slightly colder temperatures are not as problematic during the day because no one is usually home and if we are, we’re usually moving around quite a bit.

The only time the fuel-saving method of keeping the thermostat at a relatively low temperature really interferes with our comfort is when we are trying to get to sleep. An electric blanket with an automatic shut-off would be a welcome addition to our bedding as well. Many times a warming blanket can be too warm and this can disrupt our sleep as well. As a general rule, we like the temperature to be a little lower at night.

The ideal electric blanket gives off mild heat that can be adjusted to each person’s selected temperature preference. The blanket should also have an automatic shut-off to keep us from waking up because we are too warm in the middle of the night. This may be a lot to ask from a little throw, but it would be a welcomed addition to our collection of throws.