Sleeping Under a Blanket (Comforting or Dangerous!?)

By / Tips & Bits

Once upon a time, there was childhood. Many will hide under the blanket, to feel safe and comforted after a bad event. But as we grow up, a sudden realization hits… Didn’t villains in movies also use pillows, wet towels, and blankets to suffocate their victims? Is it even safe to be sleeping under a blanket?

Sleeping under a blanket is considered to be generally unsafe and unhealthy, especially when it is old and dirty. Thick and unbreathable blankets also restrict the airflow, sleeping under one will eventually lead to a lack of oxygen and risk of suffocation.

That is the general conclusion most people on the Internet seem to have. But there is also another school that argued people also wore full-faced coverings, nothing is wrong with that, and they still survived just fine.

So is sleeping under the blanket really safe or not? Let us explore more in this short article – Read on!

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Bad Not Really Bad The End

 

WHY IT’S BAD TO SLEEP UNDER THE BLANKET

While there is no scientific evidence that sleeping under a blanket can prove to be fatal, here are the general consensus of most people on why it is a bad practice.

 

LACK OF OXYGEN – SUFFOCATION RISK

Remember that humans take in oxygen? Then they breathe out carbon dioxide? While a blanket does not create an airtight space, it still restricts the airflow – The thicker the blanket is, the lesser airflow. If the blanket is not breathable, sleeping under it will mean a slow but steady build-up of carbon dioxide. This eventually leads to a lack of oxygen and a suffocation risk.

 

SLEEP DISRUPTION

When there is not enough oxygen, the natural reflex of a human being is to wake up in the middle of the night and gasp for air. Then after the rude awakening, it may be difficult or impossible to fall back to sleep again.

P.S. Even if the blanket is thin and has enough oxygen, a hot and stuffy bed may eventually become unbearably uncomfortable and wake a person up.

 

 

EAT DIRT & SMELL DUST

Now, air does not circulate well under the blanket, there is potential for another health hazard. A stale and low airflow means the poor human sleeping under an unclean blanket is going to become the vacuum cleaner – Eat dirt, smell dust, and taste fart all night long. Not cool.

 

LESS AWARE OF SURROUNDINGS

With a blanket covered over the head, the general awareness of the surrounding is going to become dull. A small fire, a break-in, those are going to become distant. Unawareness of these strange sounds and funky smells may just prove to be more dangerous than sleeping under a blanket.

 

 

OVERALL BAD SLEEP QUALITY

  • A shortage of oxygen.
  • Suffocation risk.
  • Eating dust and dirt.
  • Uncomfortable.
  • Waking up in the middle of the night.

I don’t think these need more explanation. Even if someone were to survive and live all of these, it is just not good for health in so many ways.

 

WHY IT’S NOT REALLY THAT BAD

After dissing about all the bad things that may happen from sleeping under a blanket – The truth is that some people still do it as a sleeping habit, and there don’t seem to be any adverse effects at all.

 

AIR STILL CIRCULATES UNDER THE BLANKET

Yes, blankets do not create air-tight spaces. Air can still circulate freely for blankets that are light and breathable. There are people who live with full-faced coverings and masks. They survived, and there should not be an issue sleeping under a blanket. Right?

 

 

CLEANER AIR WITH BLANKETS

This may sound a little crazy at first, but let’s think about the possibilities for a while. If a person were to sleep in a dusty environment (beside a road for example), a clean and breathable blanket is going to act like a HEPA filter instead. Yes, sleeping under the blanket, on a clean sheet is going to shield the person from the bad environment.

 

BETTER AT REGULATING TEMPERATURES

Some people sleep under heated blankets, some people blow air directly under the blanket to keep it hot or cool. It’s simply a lot more efficient this way, and so long as there’s proper airflow – Then why not? There’s no cause to worry about “suffocation”.

 

 

BETTER SLEEP QUALITY

So sleeping under a clean blanket with good air circulation is nice and cozy. Blocks out some of the noisy neighbors, no need to smell the dusty room too. How the tables have turned, it’s no wonder why some people choose to do it.

 

NATURAL REFLEXES WILL HAPPEN ANYWAY

Too hot, too cold, too stuffy, a fire, or a break-in. If things really turn that bad, the natural reflexes of most people will shock them wide awake in any case – It does not matter if one is sleeping above or under a blanket.

 

THE END – BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY

So is it safe or unsafe to sleep under a blanket after all these? Personally, I have not heard of adults dying from suffocation while sleeping under a blanket. But for babies and toddlers, that is still a possibility when they do not have the ability to flip the blanket aside.

Thus, my conclusion is simple, I will stick with the “better safe than sorry” group of people. Humans need to breathe, let it be that way, no blankets over the head while sleeping. Thank you for reading, and we have come to the end of this short guide. I hope it has helped to answer your doubts. Good luck and have better nights of sleep!

 

LINKS & REFERENCES