February 4th, 2021 by Sarah Miles

We are in unprecedented times and covid lockdown means that most of us are at home rather than out of the house at work or school. Staying warm during the day has not been something that most of us have had to worry about previously but now we’re all at home, and temperatures outside are plummeting, many need to find practical ways to keep the cold at bay.

The most obvious solution, of course, is to just turn the central heating on. However, there is a big difference between having the heating on from morning until bedtime and just having it on for a few hours a day and you could see your heating bills more than double. Not great for your finances, or the planet.

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So, how do you stay warm without spending a fortune?

Resistive heat in the form of central heating or panel heaters, while generally very efficient, has its limits and can start to get expensive because they have to heat all the air in each room. If you want to keep your bills at an affordable level, there are some alternatives that are more efficient but still effective at keeping you warm.

Certainly, sensible measures such as wearing more layers, keeping doors closed, and warm drinks/food will help but when it is very cold outside, they may not be enough.

Electric blankets could be the best, and most affordable, way to stay warm

If you are working or studying from home, chances are you’re sat at a desk or table, or even on the sofa or in bed (a popular choice for teenagers when home learning!). If you are staying in one position for long periods, it can be even harder to stay warm but there is a perfect solution – an electric blanket!

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Electric blankets can work really well for a number of reasons:

• Targeted heat
  Rather than having to warm all the air in the room, an electric blanket only needs to generate enough heat to warm one object – you. Because it’s in direct contact with your body, this doesn’t require very much energy at all.
   
• They are economical to run
  One of the greatest advantages of electric blankets is how cheap they are to run. Because they don’t need to use a lot of energy, they can run all night (or all day) for just pennies.
   
• No need to heat the whole house
  Using electric blankets is also much more efficient because you only have to generate the specific heat that you need, ie a blanket per person and not every room in the house.
   
• Very adaptable
  Some feel the cold more than others and the outside temperature changes every day, and even throughout the day. The temperature of an electric blanket can be adjusted as often you like and according to the preferences of each individual, so no energy is wasted.
   
• Good for both physical and mental health
  There is a huge amount of evidence that links staying warm with maintaining good physical and mental health. It can soothe aches and pains, as well as help you to feel safe and even reduce anxiety and low mood. Good circulation can also help you stay more alert and help you focus, which could be useful for working or learning from home.

Of course, electric blankets or throws are great to have at night as well so even if you buy them for keeping you warm during the day, they’ll still continue to be useful long after lockdown restrictions are over.