Most healthy adults can sleep with an electric blanket on all night if it stays on a low setting, because modern blankets build in overheat protection and auto shut-off. The Bedsure heated blankets in the table below, the HeatX Heated Comforter and Bedsure heated mattress pads have a default 8-hour auto shut-off, which covers most of a night on low. For the most comfortable and cautious routine, preheat the bed, then turn it down to the lowest level or switch it off before you sleep.
Rules for Sleeping With an Electric Blanket On
- Use the lowest level that keeps you comfortable. Higher levels are for warming the bed. See our guide to electric blanket heat level settings.
- Keep the blanket flat. Don't fold, bunch or twist it. Bedsure's HeatX guidebook notes that folds or overlapping heating wires make some areas warmer than others.
- Keep the controller visible. Don't wrap it in the blanket or leave it near another heat source. If it feels hot, unplug the cord and let the blanket and controller cool for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Don't sit on the heated area or place heavy objects on top of it.
- Don't use the blanket together with another heated product, such as a heated mattress pad underneath it.
- Use only the controller that came with the blanket. Its model number should match the one on the blanket label.
- Check the cord and coupler before each use. If a cord is cracked, damaged or loose, stop using the blanket and contact Bedsure customer service. The U.S. Fire Administration advises replacing any appliance with a damaged cord.
Preheat Then Low, or Preheat Then Off
A Bedsure blanket takes about 10 to 15 minutes to warm up, so switch it on a little before bed. Use a higher level for the preheat, then pick one of two routines.
- Preheat then low: turn the blanket down to its lowest level when you get into bed. The auto shut-off or timer ends the session. This suits people who wake up cold in the early hours.
- Preheat then off: switch the blanket off when you get into bed. Your regular bedding and body heat keep the warm sheets warm. This suits warm sleepers, couples where one partner runs hot, and the groups listed below. It also uses the least electricity.
If cold feet are what keep you awake, our tips on keeping your feet warm without overheating cover socks and bedding layers that work alongside a preheated bed.
Which Bedsure Models Stay On and Which Switch Off
Each model in the table below comes from the Bedsure heated blanket collection and has a default auto shut-off. The default applies when no timer is set, and the timer lets you pick your own shut-off time instead.
| Model | Timer Settings | Default Auto Shut-Off | Suggested Overnight Setting (Healthy Adults) |
|---|---|---|---|
| HeatX Heated Blanket | 10 (1 to 10 hours) | 8 hours | Preheat, then lowest level or off |
| HeatX Heated Comforter | 10 (1 to 10 hours) | 8 hours | Preheat, then lowest level or off |
| Ribbed Heated Blanket | 10 (1 to 10 hours) | 8 hours | Preheat, then lowest level or off |
| Solid Flannel Heated Blanket | 10 (1 to 10 hours) | 8 hours | Preheat, then lowest level or off |
| Striped Flannel Heated Blanket | 10 (1 to 10 hours) | 8 hours | Preheat, then lowest level or off |
| Plaid Flannel Heated Blanket | 10 (1 to 10 hours) | 8 hours | Preheat, then lowest level or off |
| Quilted Sherpa Fleece Heated Blanket (both styles) | 10 (1 to 10 hours) | 8 hours | Preheat, then lowest level or off |
| Bubble Faux Fur Heated Blanket | 10 (1 to 10 hours) | 8 hours | Preheat, then lowest level or off |
| Heated mattress pads (Coral Fleece, Polyester Microfiber, Brushed Polyester Microfiber, Waterproof Cotton, Luxury Jacquard, Four-Zoned) | 12 (1 to 12 hours) | 8 hours | Preheat, then lowest level and a timer |
| Heated Sherpa Fleece Blanket Hoodie and Full-body Sherpa Fleece Heated Blanket Hoodie | 10 (1 to 10 hours) | 8 hours | For lounging or preheating, not all-night use |
| Heated Shaggy Fleece Blanket Hoodie and Heated Faux Cashmere Blanket Hoodie | 4 (1 to 4 hours) | 3 hours | For lounging, not all-night use |
Each timer setting adds one hour. If you want the blanket off well before you wake, choose a short setting, such as 2 or 3 hours, when you get into bed.
The 8-hour blankets and mattress pads can cover most of a night on low. The Shaggy Fleece and Faux Cashmere hoodies switch off after 3 hours. The Sherpa Fleece hoodies share the 8-hour default, but like the other hoodies they are wearables, so they suit preheating the bed or an evening on the couch rather than a full night.
Who Should Preheat and Switch Off Instead
Overnight use on low is for healthy adults who can feel when the blanket gets too warm and can turn it down. Preheat-then-off is the better fit for older children, older adults who have trouble feeling heat or using the controller, anyone who is pregnant, and anyone with a health condition that affects how they sense temperature.
Babies and toddlers should not use heated bedding at all. For the other sleepers listed here, switch the blanket off before getting in, and follow the manual and ask your doctor first before any overnight use. We cover each group in our guide to heated blanket safety for seniors, kids, pregnancy and pets.
FAQs About Using an Electric Blanket Overnight
Is low all night cheaper than preheating on high?
No. Preheating and then switching off costs less, because running on low adds hours of use on top of the preheat.
To estimate any routine, divide the wattage by 1,000 to get kilowatts, multiply by the hours of use, then multiply by the rate per kWh on your electric bill. The EIA explains how watts convert to kilowatthours, and residential electricity prices vary by location, so use your own rate.
A Full-size Ribbed blanket is rated at 130W, so a 30-minute preheat at full power uses at most 0.065 kWh, while 8 hours at the full rating would use at most 1.04 kWh. A Queen or King has two 110W controllers, so with both sides on at full power the same routines use at most 0.11 kWh and 1.76 kWh. On low, the real draw is lower than the rating.
Is a heated mattress pad better for overnight use?
It suits sleepers who want warmth from underneath and like to keep their usual blankets on top. Bedsure heated mattress pads work with regular sheets, blankets and comforters, offer 10 heat levels and 12 timer settings (1 to 12 hours), and switch off after 8 hours by default. Queen and King sizes come with two controllers, one for each side, except on the Four-Zoned pad, where the two controllers set upper-body and lower-body warmth separately. We compare the two in Heated Pad vs. Electric Blanket.
