Worries or problems from our day can stay with us as we go to bed, making it difficult to sleep well. Weighted products can help provide stress relief. Weighted eye masks, vests, and neck wraps as well as weighted blankets act like a massage to soothe our bodies into better sleep. Their internal small glass pellets deliver a helpful pressure.
Feeling skeptical about these calming options? Besides relieving stress and anxiety, consider the benefits for managing sleep disorders, ADHD, autism, osteoporosis and pain. Read on to discover the sleep science behind these comforting products.
Lower Stress and Anxiety
Weighted blankets are designed to soothe us, relieving our anxious bodies and minds. These blankets mimic deep pressure stimulation that helps decrease anxiety symptoms such as higher heart rate. Research confirms that this kind of stimulation activates the parasympathetic nervous system, the part of our bodies that relaxes, and releases serotonin, the “feel good” hormone that helps check our impulses and balance our hormonal fluctuations.
Medical journal articles published in 2002 and 2004 support the idea that “the weighted blanket... facilitates the ability to feel safe, comforted, and grounded in the world.” In a 2008 weighted blanket study, 33 percent of the participants experienced less anxiety. Additionally, simply lying down helped reduce fears, so lying down under a weighted blanket could increase the positive impact.
Lessen Sleep Disorders
While weighted blankets will not completely resolve insomnia, a research trial of children with autism who suffer from severe sleep disorders found that these pressure-exerting coverlets were favored by children and their parents for the comfort they provided.
Improved Focus and Less Hyperactivity
Weighted vests may help children with ADHD. A 2014 study found that when children dealing with this disorder wore weighted vests, their focus on task increased and fidgeting lessened.
Relief of Chronic Pain and Osteoarthritis
The deep pressure of massage therapy relieves those suffering from osteoarthritis and chronic pain. A weighted blanket mimics massage when this type of hands-on therapy is unavailable.
How do I Choose a Weight that’s Right for Me?
Think a weighted blanket is the ticket for you? Choose one that is 5 to 10 percent the size of your weight and that will fit snugly into your bed. Adults usually need size medium-large while most children should use a small weighted blanket. Elders may be most comfortable with a lighter small or medium weighted blanket.
Other Important Considerations
Weighted blankets can help many people, but experts say there are some who should avoid them:
- Toddlers due to the risk of suffocation
- Those with obstructive sleep apnea
- Asthma sufferers
- Those who are claustrophobic
Weighted comfort offers relief, not only from everyday stress, but can help those managing anxiety, sleep disorders, ADHD and pain. Weighted blankets may help you achieve a better level of good health and happiness!
