As the nights get colder, we’re all looking for ways to stay warm and get a comfortable night’s sleep without racking up the energy bills – and this expert may have an affordable solution
With autumn upon us and the energy price cap set to increase from October, many of us are resisting the urge to turn on the heating – but this can make achieving a good night’s sleep challenging. If it’s too cold, falling asleep can be difficult, but piling on too many heavy layers can result in waking up overheated in the middle of the night.
That’s where Phoebe Street, Brand Marketing Manager and Sleep Expert at Pretty You London, comes in, as she has plenty of tips to aid better sleep as the nights become chillier – all without needing to switch on the heating. And one includes this simple £23 buy from Amazon.
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While it’s tempting to close all the windows and crank up the heating, research shows that cooler bedrooms actually promote better sleep, with most people finding it easiest to nod off at around 16–18°C.
The secret? Keep yourself warm while maintaining a cool bedroom. Pheope recommends popping a hot water bottle in your bed or using an electric blanket for ten minutes before you hit the hay. This warms up your sheets and aids relaxation, without causing you to overheat during the night due to an excessively warm room.
This Cozytek Single Electric Blanket could be just the ticket, as it boasts an affordable price tag and low running costs. Crafted from soft, luxurious polyester, this electric blanket provides an extra layer of warmth for chilly nights. It boasts ultra-thin wires and a soft Polyester finish, ensuring a comfortable night’s sleep.
Plus, this electric blanket has a running cost as low as 2p per hour based on the current UK Energy Tariff.
The Cozytek heated blanket heats up quickly and offers three heat settings for greater control, allowing you to adjust to the ideal level of warmth for your body, ensuring a comfortable sleep. It features an easy-to-use LED controller, and our small electric blanket has advanced overheat protection for your safety.
The £22.99 price tag refers to the single dimensions, with the option for a double or king-sized blanket increasing the price tag to £23.99 or £29.99, respectively.
If you don’t mind splashing out a bit more, you can find the Dreamland Intelliheat Warming Throw at Boots for £49.69, down from £69.99.
One shopper who picked up this electric blanket and bestowed it with a 5-star rating beams: “Heats up quite nicely and quickly. The price is not too bad. Minimum cost, so beats my drum, and in warmer weather, I still keep it on and just put number 1.”
More adoration comes from this customer who raves: “What did we ever do without underblankets? It beats hot water bottles hands down.” They go on to say: “We have been putting it on the highest setting (3) for an hour or so before going to bed and turn it off once settled because it was too warm for us to sleep when it was left on the highest setting even when it was minus 3°C outside! A quick calculation on the 80 Watt rating means you could have it on full power for 12.5 hours and it will consume 1kWh of energy which currently costs about 50p in the UK which is about 4p per hour and its worth every penny.”
And a third chimes in: “The cost of living crisis has stopped a lot of people having their central heating on as much as in the last, me included. Last year I was taking a hot water bottle to bed with me but still feeling cold in bed. I’d first try to warm my feet up then my body. It took me ages to get to sleep because I was cold. Fast forward 12 months when I said no way am I doing that again. Something had to be done. I bought the single electric blanket for my double bed, thinking that if I get hot, I’ll just move to the other side of the bed.”
They continue: “It takes around 20 mins to be fully warm, but when it is, my goodness, it’s fabulous. I put it on before brushing my teeth, etc, so it’s toasty when I get in bed. I can’t believe I never got one before. I thoroughly recommend this product. No looking back for me now. I’m not sure how much electricity it uses, but it’s not much. Far better than a hot water bottle.”
Expert Pheobe Street also recommends switching to more natural fabrics, such as bamboo, for your bedding. You can find this Bamboo Bedding Set from Pretty You London in a wide range of colours and sizes.