Many people find that adding a weighted blanket to their sleep routine reduces stress and promotes relaxation. Like a hug or a baby’s swaddle, the gentle pressure of a weighted blanket may help relieve symptoms and improve sleep for people with insomnia, anxiety, or autism.
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How Does a Weighted Blanket Work?
A weighted blanket is designed to be heavier than a regular blanket. There are two styles of weighted blankets: knitted and duvet. As opposed to the knitted weighted blanket, which is woven using dense yarn, duvet-style weighted blankets use plastic or glass beads, ball bearings, or other heavy filling.
Whether you want to relax on the couch, bed, or anywhere else, you can use a weighted blanket.
Weighted Blanket Benefits
Weighted blankets are inspired by a therapeutic technique called deep pressure stimulation, which uses firm, controlled pressure to induce a feeling of calm. The use of a weighted blanket may be beneficial to sleep, both subjectively and objectively.
Ensure comfort and security
It is said that weighted blankets work the same way a tight swaddle helps a newborn feel secure and comfortable. Many people find these blankets help them doze off more quickly because they promote a sense of security.
Soothe Anxiety and Ease Stress
Stress and anxiety can be managed with a weighted blanket. The benefits of a weighted blanket may help those suffering from stressful thoughts sleep better due to the interfering effects of stress and anxiety.
Improve Sleep Quality
The use of weighted blankets is thought to stimulate the production of a mood-boosting hormone (serotonin), reduce stress hormone (cortisol), and increase melatonin, the sleep hormone. These factors may contribute to better sleep.
Calm The Nervous System
An overactive nervous system can lead to anxiety, hyperactivity, rapid heartbeat, and shortness of breath, which are not conducive to sleeping. A weighted blanket may induce a relaxed parasympathetic nervous system in preparation for sleep by distributing an even amount of weight and pressure across the body.
There is debate as to whether weighted blankets provide all of the benefits that manufacturers claim. It is wise to proceed with caution when purchasing any product that claims medical benefits.
Those who experience persistent sleep problems should talk to their doctors, who can assess their situation and determine whether a weighted blanket could be an effective part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
Weighted blankets are beneficial for who?
Sleepers who experience a high level of stress or who suffer from certain medical conditions may benefit from weighted blankets. Weighted blankets may be particularly beneficial for those with autism, anxiety, depression, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Anxiety and Depression
A vicious cycle of anxiety and depression often traps people with these disorders. A lack of sleep can exacerbate anxiety and depressive symptoms, which are both negatively affected by anxiety and depression. These mental health conditions may benefit from the soothing effects of a weighted blanket. Weighted blankets helped reduce insomnia symptoms in people with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and ADHD, according to a study.
Asperger’s Syndrome
The deep pressure of a weighted blanket may help people with autism spectrum disorders focus on the blanket instead of other sensory stimuli. The pressure may help them calm down and relax even in situations that may be overstimulating. Weighted blankets are often preferred by children with autism despite a lack of research on their objective benefits.