If you’re struggling to stay warm during the night as the temperatures are dropping ahead of winter, there are six clever ways you can stay warm without having to use your central heating
A money saving guru has shared her top six ways to make sure she stays warm during the cold nights without having to use her central heating.
As the days are getting colder and winter is coming closer, it can be more difficult to keep yourself warm and cosy throughout the night without having to turn the central heating on. While there are several ways to keep warm during the day, it can be harder to keep your body temperature warm when you’re laying down in bed to sleep. However, there are some clever ways you can make sure to stay warm, without having to spend money on your central heating.
A woman named Kat, who often makes videos about the different ways she saves her money in different ways, has taken to TikTok to share the six ways she makes sure to stay warm when sleeping through the colder months, without having to use her central heating.
“Six ways to stay warm at night without central heating,” Kat’s TikTok post read.
Use warmer bedding and sheets
For her first tip, Kat recommended using flannel sheets and fleece bedding, as these fabrics will work a lot better to keep you nice and warm in bed compared to, say, cotton or linen bedding and sheets.
Bedding and sheets in these types of fabric can help make your bed feel warmer when you get into it, without having to use any electric devices.
Add an electric or weighted blanket
However, if you still want something more, Kat went on to recommend using electric or weighted blankets in bed with you. Electric blankets are a great way to keep you warm without having to use your central heating, as it’s a much more cost effective method.
An electric blanket cost on average a few pence to run per hour, whereas the central heating can cost on average up to £1.44 to £1.78 per hour, but it varies depending on your home.
Meanwhile, a weighted blanket will lay closely to you, allowing the warmth to stay inside the duvet, and not escape out.
Get a thicker duvet
Next up, she went on to recommend her viewers to get a higher tog duvet. As a general guide, it’s recommended to use a 1.0-4.5 tog for summer, a 7.5-10.5 tog for spring and autumn, and a 12.0-15.0 tog for winter.
A 10.5 tog can be enough if your bedroom is consistently heated to 18-21C, but a 13.5 tog is recommended for colder rooms or for people who get cold easily.
However, for a single duvet that works all year, a 10.5 tog is a good middle-ground option, as it will keep you warm in the colder months, without being to warm when the temperatures start to rise again.
Wear fleece or wool pyjamas
Just like with your bedding, making sure that your pyjamas is made from a warmer type of fabric, such as fleece or wool, can also help keep you warm.
These kinds of pyjamas are available at a variety of different price points, but will often be found in stores like Primark during the winter months.
As most of your body heat often escape through your feet, it can also be a good idea to put on a pair of warm socks while you sleep, to make sure you stay extra warm and cosy.
Use a hot water bottle
Hot water bottles are a great and cheap ways to warm yourself up, or to warm the bed up before you go to bed. However, just make sure you are using it in a safe way.
The general recommendation is to replace your hot water bottle every two to three years. This is the advice from manufacturers (reiterated by accident prevention charities and medical professionals) and it’s likely for safety reasons.
According to an Australian study on hot water bottle safety, out of over 100 hospital admissions where burns from a hot water bottle were listed as the cause, over 80% were because the bottle had burst, split, or leaked. So because of this, it’s recommended to mix hot and cold water in the water bottle, just in case it bursts or spills.
Add carpet or a rug
Finally, Kat recommends adding carpet or a big rug into your bedroom. While this might sound like a big cost, it will help keep the heat in your room instead of escaping through the floor boards.
Carpet acts like an insulator, as it helps trapping air in its fibres to slow heat loss from the floor and preventing drafts. This is particularly true when combined with a good underlay, which further reduces heat loss and provides a warmer feel underfoot compared to hard surfaces like tile or hardwood.