Weighted Blankets Improve Sleep

Recently there has been a lot of discussion about weighted blankets.  Do they really help someone sleep? What are the benefits? Lots of retailers are carrying weighted blankets that range in price and weight.  Studies are showing that a weighted blanket can very much help someone who suffers from insomnia, depression or anxiety.

We are swaddled as infants, then as we grow up we have our blanket that is our security.  Even in some cases children will not sleep without their blanket. The weighted blanket is for the adults of the world that want to feel as though they are being hugged continuously.  The weight allows the feeling of security. It stimulates deep pressure stimulation, which is a touch pressure, the adult version of being swaddled. This calming effect that the weighted blanket has allows people to feel calmer before sleeping which can help someone with night terrors feel more safe and secure, or someone with bad anxiety feel at ease as they drift into sleep.  The calm feeling from these blankets is because they improve the amount of melatonin you produce which leads to more production of serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical in your body that contributes to the feeling of well being and happiness.

People have reported that while using a weighted blanket they feel like they move less during the night so they feel more rested.  As well as stating that they feel like their sleep is deeper, meaning they don’t wake up in the middle of the night as often or at all.  A weighted blanket may not be a cure all and can have different effects on people depending on who you are. There has even been a start in using weighted blankets for patients in psychiatric facilities to calm them

Children with ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder) who have used the weighted blanket find their time to fall asleep has lessened and the amount of times they wake up in the middle of the night has also gone down.  Making these children comparable to the sleeping of a child without ADHD. Adults and children with sensory disorders have been shown to sleep better with the weighted blankets.

The way to make sure you have picked the right weighted blanket is to get one that is about 10% your body weight.  So if you are a person that weighs one hundred pounds your weighted blanket should not weigh any more than ten pounds.  That makes sure you aren’t putting too much weight on your body where it can have negative effects. Most blankets come with a warning, but pets and small children can get trapped under the heavier blankets and make it to where they cannot get out.  Some people did state that it made it harder to get out of bed in the morning just because the blanket made them feel so calm and warm. But ultimately they felt like they had slept more soundly and for longer.

There are so many choices of weighted blankets from size, to style, weight, and material that most of that comes down to personal preference.  Make sure you pay attention to the weight for you don’t want to cause any harm to yourself in choosing one. Their is so much positive feedback from weighted blankets, but again it is not a cure all to all sleeping disorders or even to all people.  


Key Points

  • 1Pick a blanket that is weighted to 10% of your body weight.
  • 2Weighted blankets help you move less for a better nights rest.
  • 3Weighted blankets increase your sense of security.

Sources:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/minding-the-body/201808/do-weighted-blankets-really-ease-sleeplessnes
webmd.com


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Written by HealthStatus
Medical Writer & Editor

HealthStatus has been operating since 1998 providing the best interactive health tools on the Internet, millions of visitors have used our health risk assessment, body fat and calories burned calculators. The HealthStatus editorial team has continued that commitment to excellence by providing our visitors with easy to understand high quality health content for many years.

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