Children have been using blankets to enable them to feel secure, dry tears, and dose off rapidly. They all have their favorite blanket to help them fall asleep. Today, adults with insomnia, depression, and anxiety are rediscovering that feeling of security a weighted blanket provides.
In this article, we'll look at some of the studies behind weighted blankets and what they have to offer to those looking to improve their sleep.
What are Weighted Sleeping Blankets for Adults?
Weighted blankets are blankets filled with plastic pellets to help add weight, ranging from around 4 to 25 pounds. You can select the heaviness of the blanket with respect to your own weight. Costs range from $120 to $249. People compare a weighted blanket’s “hug” to the feeling of the X-ray ''apron'' the dentist puts on you.
What the research shows about Weighted Sleeping Blankets
In one study funded by the blanket makers, Swedish researchers found that 31 men and women with moderate insomnia who used the blankets for 2 weeks reported a calmer night's sleep with fewer movements. They believe the blankets helped them sleep more comfortably and securely, and they had higher-quality sleep. Researchers have looked at how the heavy blanket for sleeping affects
mental health patients. A study from 2015 found that after 32 adults used a 30-pound blanket, 63% reported lower anxiety and 78% preferred the weighted blanket to a normal blanket.
Weighted blankets offer deep pressure stimulation, a form of touch pressure that feels like a firm hug, a massage, or swaddling. While research on a weighted blanket for insomnia is sparse, deep pressure stimulation has been found to calm adults and children with anxiety, autism, and attention difficulties, researchers say.
Expert opinion on Weighted Sleeping Blankets
Many types of research and professors say the blankets may help people with chronic pain sleep better, as well as those with anxiety or depression. People say that it gives them the inclination that somebody is embracing them, and makes them feel more calm and relaxed.
However, the weighted blanket isn't the only thing you need to do to cure insomnia. You additionally need to focus on the establishment of good sleep practices. This includes using the room just for sleep, turning off electronics before bedtime and keeping the lighting, sounds, and temperature conducive to sleep.
While some research has looked at 30-pound blankets, there is no data behind the “right fit.” The companies suggest you pick one that is about 10% of your body weight so it will not be too heavy, and for kids, it's 10% of body weight plus 1-2 pounds for a comfortable sleep.
While weighted blanket for insomnia and anxiety offer numerous advantages, the one that most people are hoping to get is to enhance sleep. Heavy blankets for insomnia have mostly been used for those with autism or sensory processing disorder, but more and more often they are being used for those with sleeping disorders, like insomnia or restless leg syndrome, as well as people who simply
would like to improve their sleep overall.
Science Behind Weighted Blanket for Insomnia and Anxiety
When taking a look at the science behind weighted blankets, you'll regularly discover the term deep touch pressure, frequently abbreviated to DTP. DTP is essentially a term for the weight being delicately and uniformly distributed on the body. The vast majority have felt deep touch pressure as an embrace or back rub. If you've ever felt the need for an embrace or have needed to embrace your
child for them to sleep, there is science behind why it works!
Deep Touch Pressure has been shown to bring levels of serotonin up in the body.
Why is releasing serotonin important? It's a chemical that's extremely important for feeling calm, sensory processing, mood regulation, and much more. Releasing more serotonin along with decreasing activity in the nervous system is a great combination for calming down before bed. This increase in calming feelings is why weighted blankets help insomnia. Often times, simply having more serotonin can help that.
How do Weighted Blankets improve sleep issues?
Weighted blankets for insomnia help enhance sleep in various ways. Like said above, they give a quieting feeling by discharging serotonin and diminishing the action in the sensory system.
Another reason they help enhance sleep is by enhancing the body's release of melatonin. Melatonin is a substance in the body that regulates the sleep/wake cycle for humans. Melatonin discharge can get disturbed through unnatural lighting late at night or sporadic sleeping schedules.
Weighted blankets help enhance melatonin because they help create serotonin. Serotonin is a key building component for your body to make melatonin. This means increasing serotonin will enable your body to create melatonin. This then enables your body to adjust to a more general sleep cycle.
The last reason weighted blankets help enhance sleep is that they are heavier than standard blankets. This additional weight diminishes tossing and turning during the night and can be an incredible method to manage restless leg syndrome.
A Study from Journal of Sleep Medicine and Disorders (2015) found that a weighted blanket aided those with insomnia sleep better because it helped them feel more settled before bed.
Impartially, we found that sleep session time expanded for those who used a weighted blanket. Emotionally, the members preferred sleeping with the blanket, they found that it was less difficult to settle down for sleep and had a more restful sleep, they also felt more invigorated at the beginning of the day. Generally speaking, we found that when the members used the weighted blanket, they
had a more restful night's sleep.
How to choose a Weighted Blanket for Insomnia and Anxiety
If you are looking to improve your sleep routine, then you might consider what type of weighted blanket is right for you.
The first and most essential thing is to ensure you get the correct weight.
The ideal weight is 10% of your bodyweight. So if you are purchasing a blanket for an 80lb child, you'd need to go with a 10lb blanket. If you are getting a blanket for a 150lb man, then a 16 or 17lb blanket would work best.
Different elements you'll need to consider when taking a look at blankets is what is used to weigh down the blankets. It can differ from plastic pellets to rice to metal globules.
Another imperative perspective is if you can wash the blanket at home or does it need to be taken to a cleaner. If you don't anticipate it getting dirty, then you won't have to stress over this to such an extent. But if it will get a considerable measure of use, then you should find a simple to-wash blanket.
The last factor to consider is the sort of texture you'd like, which is an individual inclination.
Buy the Best Weighted Sleeping Blanket
Is your insomnia or sleep disorder affecting your daytime productivity, your health, or your family life? Disturbances in sleep create a long list of secondary issues that can quickly become primary concerns if insomnia is left untreated. Lack of sleep, whether it's medically related or anxiety-driven, can throw off your normal functioning during the day. Concentration becomes difficult, productivity at work or school begins to suffer, irritability can have you lashing out at family and friends, and you become at risk for serious health issues. The Magic Weighted Blanket offers a natural alternative to get the rest your body needs.
Deep pressure touch stimulation, or DPTS, is a type of therapy that almost anyone can benefit from. Similar to getting a massage, the pressure exerted over the body has physical and psychological advantages. If you suffer from insomnia, quieting your mind at night in order to get sleep is a challenge you probably face. Often described as feeling like a hug, a weighted blanket leads to a sense of security, which tends to calm the mind.
When pressure is gently applied to the body, it encourages serotonin production, which lifts your mood. When serotonin naturally converts to melatonin, your body takes the cue to rest. A Magic Weighted Blanket is a relaxation aid that you can use over and over whenever you need it most.
Like most things designed to make life easier, weighted blankets aren’t miracle products. While research suggests that they can help with anxiety, you should consult your doctor before trying a new therapy. A weighted blanket is not a substitution for an existing prescription or other kinds of therapy designed to alleviate anxiety or insomnia. Many weighted blanket users use them in addition to seeing a therapist and taking medication. It’s important to research the benefits and potential side effects of a product and determine which combination of treatments works best for your particular situation.