The answer may be in heated blankets and throws for those chilly days and nights.
Plush, quilted, and micro-plush fabrics are soft and snuggly in colors and prints to compliment almost any room in your home. New fibers are more durable and soft than in years past and hold their shape and size with many cleanings. Most fabrics are machine washable.
Some blankets, throws, and heated mattress pads have sensors which respond to changes in the temperature of the body or the room and adjust to a comfortable temperature. The wiring is subtle and hardly noticeable to the touch.
During the day, you could cuddle up with a good book wrapped in an electric throw that is the perfect size to throw over your shoulders or lay over your legs. No need to crank up the heat for the whole room. Most throws measure about 50" by 60".
For sleeping at night, you can warm up from below or above. It's estimated that you could save 10% of your home heating costs if you set your thermostat back by 10% to 15% for the 8 hours you sleep. But you won't be cold in a bed heated with an electric mattress pad or blanket.
A heated mattress pad or electric blanket is a healthy solution for warming people who might have poor circulation or who are always chilly. It almost feels as though you're sleeping in a warm bath.
Heated mattress pads, placed on top of the mattress and under the bottom sheet, offer controlled heat and a comfortable sleep surface in a wide range of quality and prices. They're available at most nation-wide retailers.
Most electric mattress pads have dual controls for queen and king sizes, offering personal heat levels for each side of the bed. Some pads can be pre-set to warm up to a pre-determined temperature at the same time every day. And the mattress pads automatically turn off after 10 hours, a safety and convenience feature.
I've used electric blankets for decades and have loved them. They're lightweight, have an almost infinite temperature range, provide warmth before I slide into bed, and are easy to care for. The available colors are limited and basic, but I place a lightweight cotton blanket over the electric blanket to hold in the heat and lower the electric use.
Electric blankets have the same high-tech features available on electric mattress pads, the auto-off feature, and digital controls.
There are some safety concerns that have plagued electric blankets for years. Though I have never experienced any problem at all, there is a chance of fire if wires become crimped or if the fabric wears down to expose the wires.
New technology has practically eliminated the down side of electric blankets, mattress pads, and throws. They bring convenience and comfort to the bedroom in a way that is unmatched. And by using an electric blanket or mattress pad for warmth at night, you can save heating costs. Two great benefits in one practical piece of bedding.