Are heated blankets bad for you?

Heated blankets are becoming increasingly being made with more quality materials and features which are enhancing safety. Now the question is are heated blankets bad for your health? Good for your health? Or does it depend on your health status? Heated blankets have increasingly become customizable, and allow for heat to be concentrated where you need it on cold nights. Just like any electrical product, there can be risks associated with heated blankets, this article is meant to inform you of the potential health dangers of heard blankets, as well as benefits of heated blankets.

This article is not going to cover the technical safety aspects of heated blankets, rather the potential effects on our bodies.

People with the following health conditions should be wary when using, or considering heated blankets:

Pregnancy

If you are pregnant, it is recommended that you do not use a heated blanket. This is because for the development of a healthy fetus raising your body temperature over 101°F (38.5°C) should be avoided. If you consistently raise your body to temperatures higher than this, this may increase your risk of miscarriage.

To use a heated blanket whilst pregnant, it is recommended to use one that can preheat the bed for you, 30-60 minutes before going to bed, then you can either remove it or turn it off before falling asleep. Remember to unplug to heated blanket before falling asleep. 

Diabetes

Diabetics often suffer different health complications as a result of diabetes. One of the presenting symptoms that diabetes can have on people is diabetic neuropathy, which can cause a diabetic person to lose their sensation (feeling) in different areas of their body. If you cannot feel hot and cold as a result of diabetic neuropathy you would not know if the heated blanket you are using has heated up too much that you’ve been burned. 

Similar to pregnant women, it is recommended that to use a heated blanket safely you heat your bed for 30 minutes to an hour before bed, and turn it off and unplug it when you get into bed. You could also use a blanket if you had a viewable temperature dial, so you could keep track of exactly how hot the blanket was.

Young children, infants, and pets

Young children, infants, and pets should not use heated blankets without extremely controlled supervision. Even then it is not recommended. This is because they will not have control over the blanket, so they won’t be able to turn it down, they also may have a difficult time regulating their temperature or removing the product if it does get too hot. So it is recommended that young children, infants, and pets not use heated blankets. 

You can heat young children and infants beds using heated blankets before they go to bed, just make sure they do not sleep with the product on the bed. If you still want a heated product for your pet, then you can get your pet a heated bed, which they can easily get out of, and has sensors that only heat the body temperature of the pet laying on it.

No question is a stupid question as one of my teachers used to say. Heated blankets and many other consumer electrical devices generate a low-level electromagnetic field. There are some studies that have linked electromagnetic fields with an increased risk of certain types of cancers. It is controversial, and other studies have shown there to be no higher risks associated. The American Cancer Society’s official stance is that you cannot rule out that electromagnetic radiation has a potential link to childhood leukemia. If you are concerned about electromagnetic radiation increases your risk of cancer, you can reduce your exposure in a variety of ways. 

Now that we have covered the potential negative health effects of heated blankets, let’s take a look at some potential positive effects.

For people that do not fall into any of the above categories, using a heated blanket according to manufacturer instructions can be extremely safe and beneficial to your health and wellbeing. Here are some of the health benefits you’ll get from a heated blanket:

Muscle and joint pain

Many people who suffer from aches and pains as a result of and injury, arthritis, sciatica, or anything else for that matter can benefit from heat. Pain signals can be reduced or canceled out entirely if heat is applied, so using a heated blanket can provide relief for painful muscles and joints.

Increases circulation

For people who have poor circulation, or Raynaud’s disease where you are left feeling cold heated blankets can provide warmth. Heat therapy has been used for a long time for various aches and pains, now it is being used for circulation. When you heat an area of the body it causes a physiological response where blood flows to the heated area. This can help alleviate symptoms of poor circulation or Raynaud’s disease.

Reduces allergies

Heat is proven to kill dust mites, so having a heated blanket on your bed can reduce the amount of dust mites present, which can reduce the allergy symptoms you have.

Improves sleep

Your circadian rhythm is your bodies internal clock with determines when you sleep and wake up. It is influenced by physical activity, diet, sunlight, and temperature. Your circadian rhythm can be disrupted by temperature fluctuations at night, if you use a heated blanket it can help keep you temperature stable, and you asleep. So if you need help falling asleep and staying asleep consider a heated blanket, you can adjust them to make sleeping conditions optimal for yourself.

Increases mood

To stay warm your body needs to use quite a bit of its energy. If your body uses all of its energy on keeping you warm, it can deplete your energy supplies, which in turn can cause you to feel anxious, stressed, or tired. Heated blankets will reduce to amount of energy you need to generate to warm yourself up, and will increase your comfort. This triggers signals to be sent to your brain letting it know you are comfortable and satisfied. This will make you feel happier when you wake up.

For some people (mentioned above), heated blankets should be avoided or used under very strict conditions. For healthy adults, heated blankets can provide a variety of positive health benefits and will not contribute to any negative health effects. So take the factors mentioned into account when considering a heated blanket (or not).