If you’re like me, then you love lying in bed with your head under the blanket. I find it to be a comforting feeling that helps me sleep better at night. However, I have noticed that the blanket rarely stays in place on my head. It falls off or moves around while I am sleeping. This can frustrate because it is constantly waking me up at night and then you cannot get back to sleep easily again.
Many people believe that this is not healthy or good for your neck. There are actually benefits to sleeping with your head under the blanket. Sleeping with your head under a blanket can help keep you warm and protect your neck. The enormous amount of cotton or soft fabric acts as an insulator for heat, especially during the winter months when it gets cold at night.
But what happens when you find that the blanket is not staying in place as it should? This is frustrating and can result in waking up often or not being able to go back to sleep easily. However, there are actually benefits to sleeping with your head under the blanket! The large amount of cotton or soft fabric acts as an insulator for heat, especially during the winter months when it gets cold at night.
In this article, we will discuss sleeping with your head under a blanket. What you should expect from it, and if it’s a good fit for you.
Sleeping with a Blanket Over Your Head: Pros and Cons
Different people react differently to sleeping with their face covered. That’s why it’s hard to give a definitive answer “should you sleep with your head under a blanket?”.
Some people swear by it, others are horrified at the thought. The truth is somewhere in the middle. You can do it if you like, but there are some potential issues.
And, if you’re having issues sleeping at night, consider changing your blanket. Also, consider trying out fresh blankets to put over your head. It will take a little time to find the right one for you, but every dollar and minute spent improving your sleep is 100% worth it.
Pros of Sleeping with a Blanket over Your Head
There are many advantages to sleeping with a blanket over your head. Here they are:
- It helps keep your head warm. If it’s cold outside, this is immensely helpful. Falling asleep when you feel too cold is very hard.
- It protects your neck. How? it’s simple physics. If you’re sleeping with your neck exposed, then the cold air will settle there and cool off your body faster than anywhere else. The blanket helps keep that area warm, so it doesn’t lose heat as quickly.
- It can help block out light if you are a very sensitive sleeper. However, there are better ways to block out light, such as a sleeping mask.
- Can help with insomnia. Some people can’t sleep because of anxiety. Covering their head with a warm and comforting blanket helps them relax.
Also Read: Weighted Blanket For Anxiety: 15 Things You Need to Know Before Buying
Cons of Sleeping with a Blanket over Your Head
Unfortunately, sleeping with a blanket over your head also comes with many drawbacks. Not all of them affect everyone equally. Some people don’t care about these. For others, they are a deal breaker.
- If you are on your back, then there is risk of suffocation if the blanket covers your face for an extended period (such as overnight).
- Even if not outright suffocation, your brain will receive less oxygen than if you breathed freely. Low oxygenation will wake you up, because the body will feel like something is wrong.
- The blanket can slip off while you are sleeping. If your head isn’t resting on a pillow, then its weight will cause the blanket to slide down into a very uncomfortable position. This will wake you up. Therefore, many people sleep with their face covered using just pillows instead of an actual blanket.
- If you suffer from sleep paralysis, then having a blanket over your head can be dangerous. If sleeping with the blanket on causes you to have sleep paralysis, then there’s risk that it will occur while under a blanket.
- People who are sick should not sleep with their heads covered by blankets, because it keeps all the bad stuff close to your face and nose.
Sleeping with your head under the blanket can be a very comforting feeling, but it also has its problems. You should make sure you are aware of these pros and cons before deciding to sleep this way every night. If you think that sleeping with a blanket over your head would help benefit you during bedtime, then you can try it out.
However, if you are anxious about the suffocation risk or having your face covered for an extended period, then sleeping with a blanket on top of just pillows would be the safest option.
10 Tips and Tricks for Sleeping with Your Head Under a Blanket
Want to try sleeping with your head under a blanket, but don’t know where to begin? Try out these tips.
- What you do before sleep is as important as sleep itself
Establish a sleep routine and implement proper sleep hygiene. This will make it easier for your body to relax and fall asleep at night.
- Make sure that it’s not tucking under your ear too much
A blanket tucking under your ear might hurt it. Also, make sure that it’s not blocking your airways. The vast majority of blankets will let you breathe under them.
- Try using a silk pillowcase
These are more slippery than cotton and reduce friction between the skin and fabric of the pillow, which helps prevent bedhead if you toss around at night. This can also help with hair loss because there is less tugging and pulling on your hair.
- Sleeping under a blanket is best done by sleeping on your back
If you sleep on your stomach, then there is a risk of suffocation if the blanket covers your face for an extended period (such as overnight).
- Have nothing super heavy over your bed or directly below where you’re sleeping
This can cause breathing problems and won’t let enough air in. For example, weighted blankets aren’t a good idea when sleeping with one over your head.
- If you are sick, then having a blanket over your head can be dangerous
Since sleeping with a blanket over your head reduces oxygen intake, avoid it if your body is having issue getting oxygen in. This could happen because of a cold, or other respiratory issues.
- Try sleeping with just pillows instead of an actual blanket
You can keep your mouth and nose outside and enjoy the fresh air coming in, while still feeling the same sense of comfort provided by having something over your head.
- Make sure that any hair accessories don’t tangle up in the blankets
A hair accessory getting stuck in the blanket is painful. The pain will wake you up. Even if it doesn’t, you’ll sleep worse because of the uncomfortable feeling.
- Avoid Sleeping with a blanket over Your Head if you suffer from Sleep Paralysis
There’s a real risk that sleep paralysis will occur while under a blanket and suffocate you from the inside out. Therefore, if you suffer from sleep paralysis, then having a blanket over your head can be dangerous.
- Cut small holes in your blanket to let your face breathe
This improves airflow without compromising the blanket’s usefulness. The only issue is that it looks a little weird, but who cares? It’s your sleep, not someone else’s.
The Best Blankets to Put over Your Head
There are many blankets out there. Some people enjoy certain materials over others, and if you ‘re someone who sleeps with your head under a blanket, then it’s even more important. Here are some of the best blankets to try out:
Silk pillowcases provide smoothness and softness, so they won’t irritate or pull on skin as often. It feels great and reduces friction between the skin and fabric of your pillow. It can also help prevent bedhead if you toss around at night as it’s less tugging on your hair.
This is a smart choice for those who need warmth without weight or bulkiness because they are thin yet still provide heat retention properties.
Cashmere blankets are another great option to keep you warm without being too heavy. They are very soft and cozy, yet still lightweight enough for year-round comfort. It’s a luxurious material that feels amazing against the skin.
If you want to sleep with a blanket over your head but don’t want the suffocation risk, then consider using these types of blankets, since they won’t be as much at risk for covering up your face and causing you problems. Many fleece blankets have a dual layered design, which makes them very breathable and prevents them from suffocating you.
These are very comfortable, especially if they’re made with high-quality materials that won’t make your face itch or scratch up against it all night long. However, these types of blankets may be too heavy for some people to sleep comfortably under if they like sleeping hot (or if their body temperature runs hot).
These are very heavy but can make you feel extra cozy, especially when it’s cold outside. However, keep in mind that wool is scratchier than other types of fabric, so your face might not enjoy being pressed up against them all night long.
These types of blankets breathe better than traditional wool or down ones. However, they may not be as breathable and comfortable compared to fleece ones in colder weather.
Alternatives to Sleeping with a Blanket over Hour Head
You can reap most of the benefits of this activity without running into the risk of suffocating yourself.
There are many solutions that you can try to address this problem.
- Sleeping mask
If light sensitivity is an issue, then one great way to block out light while sleeping with a blanket over your head is by using a sleep mask (you’ve probably seen people wearing these on planes). Sleeping masks completely block out any light that could come in and disrupt your sleep. Our body can feel the sunlight even when our eyes are closed. And sunlight is a signal for it to wake up.
Also Read: Are Sleep Masks Bad For Your Eyes?
- Camping pillow
Another great way to block out light is by using a camping pillow. These are pillows that have special compartments in them so you can store your head inside of it, blocking out all incoming light. It’s also made from very comfortable materials which makes sleeping with your face covered more enjoyable since the fabric won’t be scratching your face.
- Padding for the neck
If you’re worried about sleeping with a blanket over your head and suffocating yourself, then consider using pillows to block out light instead of an actual blanket. However, if you still want to use a traditional blanket (or another type of fabric that doesn’t breathe as well) then you can try putting a pillow under your neck to keep it elevated. This will help with blood flow and prevent the blanket from covering up your face too much, which reduces the risk of suffocation significantly.
- Sleeping with pillows instead of an actual blanket
If sleeping with an actual blanket completely freaks you out because it might suffocate you, then consider sleeping with just pillows over your face instead. This way you can reap the benefits of having something warm and comfortable covering up your head without having to worry about suffocating yourself or blocking out noises too much (since there’s no fabric involved).
Conclusions
Sleeping with a blanket over your head is a soothing experience for many people. There are some inherent risks associated with it, but nothing that can’t be prevented.
There is no definitive answer to whether or not you’ll like it. Try it yourself and come to your own conclusions. This article gave you everything you need to know to pull off a wonderful night of sleep. But all precautions in the world will be useless if you don’t enjoy the feeling.
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