What is a Weighted Blanket?

 

Weighted blankets are intentionally heavier blankets designed to improve your sleep quality. Weighted Blankets are best known to provide a therapeutic effect similar to giving a someone a hug, it will stimulate the release of oxytocin “a happiness hormone” in the brain. This hormone creates a sense of calm and well-being also helping to reduce levels of cortisol "a stress hormone".

 

Most commonly used by individuals suffering from sleep deprivation, stress, or anxiety, research has shown that using a therapeutic weighted blanket can help with sleep deprivation and insomnia to improve your sleep quality.

 

While this research was conducted on people suffering from stress and anxiety, weighted blankets can be used by anyone. If you are facing stress from work or home, and would like to have a good night’s rest, it is highly recommended to sleep with a weighted blanket. If you are getting about 6 to 7 hours of sleep, but still feel lethargic the next day, it means that your sleep quality is poor. Using a weighted blanket will help improve your sleep quality, making sure you feel recharged the next day.

 

 

Weighted blankets have been around for a long time in the special needs community, but have recently gained popularity because more people start to realize the benefits which includes relief from worry, stress and anxiety, promotes restful sleep and improving sleep quality, increased relaxation, reduces body tension and pain, promotes a happier mood and improving overall focus, creates a calming effect, and more…

  

You should choose a weighted blanket that is about 10% of your body weight. A study conducted in 2006 by health.com wrote that, people preferred blankets that weighed at least this much. If the weighted blanket is heavier than that, it may be uncomfortable and difficult to move under.

  

 

This article from Christina Heiser talks about her first experience using a weighted blanket: “When I slipped under the blanket, I felt like I was wrapped in a cocoon, as if the blanket were hugging me.”

 

Acknowledging the benefits of the weighted blanket, Christina also said “Because I couldn’t physically move as much, I noticed that my thoughts weren’t racing as much either. I was able to just focus on the present, and that made it easier to fall asleep. I didn’t wake up once in the middle of the night, which is very rare for me and after 7 hours of solid sleep, I felt so refreshed that I didn’t even need to stop for my iced coffee on the way to office.”

 

Christina’s experience is supported by research from Taylor&Francis and SciMed which show that weighted blankets led to a calmer night’s sleep for people with insomnia. Although more studies are being conducted, preliminary results suggest that using a weighted blanket can benefit anyone, not just those with stress or anxiety.

 

If you would like to read more about weighted blankets, you may read this article here, or purchase your own therapeutic weighted blanket here