''Hi Sydney,''
Generally when using a laptop, you would want to avoid the bottom of the laptop from touching any material like a blanket or like your lap or anything that would stop air from going through the fans.
The ventilation could be blocked, which is bad, the air circulation is very important for cooling the internal hardware.
The laptop sucks fresh cool air and the hot air blows out. If there is a soft cushion (bed) or other material (not including rigid material) it blocks the vents which results in high temperature of the hardware of the laptop, this can make the computer 60 degree celsius and higher.
Higher temperatures can damage the internal hardware and decrease its battery life permanently, ''so try not to over work it :)''