Here's Why Blankets Feels so Comforting Straight From the Dryer

There may be nothing more satisfying than a warm, freshly laundered blanket. But why exactly does a blanket feel so comforting after coming out of the dryer?

Perhaps it's that first touch of the still-warm blanket that elicits such happiness and serenity when we happily yank it from the machine.

Kick your socks off, get comfy, snuggle your companion animal beside your favorite blanket, and let's explore the many reasons why a blanket feels so comforting after being removed from the dryer.

When we snuggle with our blanket fresh from the dryer, our bodies may release oxytocin, per the weighted blanket brand Nuzzie. From what we know of this feel-good response, it helps us feel cozy and reinforces us to seek the same feeling in perpetuity.

Oxytocin is a hormone, per Harvard Medical School's Harvard Health Publishing, that is aptly referred to as the "love hormone" and the "cuddle hormone" because it is produced in our body when we do such things as cuddle with a romantic partner.

If the flood of oxytocin from a good blanket cuddle isn't enough, you'll be pleased to know clutching a blanket from the dryer activates our parasympathetic nervous system, per Nuzzie, which makes us feel safe and calm — especially with a freshly washed weighted blanket.

The science behind weighted blankets is sound, and according to Penn Medicine, snuggling a weighted blanket use helps calm our heart rate and is a helpful tool to alleviate some symptoms of sleep disorders and comfort those with varying diagnoses.

A familiar smell can bring a significant amount of comfort, especially when it comes to your favorite blanket, per The Swaddle. If your emotional support blanket smells like the laundry detergent that the blanket is usually washed in, the comforting sameness can be a boon to your mental health.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, per Pittwire, found that familiar smells aided individuals diagnosed with depression during their recovery process.

According to Buymode — which calls blankets "a staple of comfort and tranquility" — the gentle security that hugging a blanket brings releases other hormones, too. Your blanket straight from the dryer helps stimulate serotonin and melatonin production, which both bring about relaxation and prepare you for a proper night's sleep.

Per Salt Lake City-based KSL News, there is merit to the term "security blanket," which brings comfort to humans and non-human animals alike. Put simply, a blanket from the dryer can be comforting emotionally, physically, and make us feel better all-around.