A weighted blanket is a blanket with extra weight in it. This has become a favorite sleep accessory for many adults and children. A weighted blanket can have many different materials that make it more cumbersome; glass beads or plastic pellets. These materials are two of the most common ones you will find.
However, you can come across with some blankets that have rice, millet, or even lead in them. Avoid the ones with the lead. Weighted blankets composed with glass beads have a more dispersed, even weight and are very easy to wash.
How Do Weighted Blankets Work?
Weighted blankets provide a sensation known as a “grounding” that applies moderate pressure to the sleeper’s body and pushes them further into their sleep surface. It also triggers the release of hormones that calm the nerves and lead to a good night’s sleep. People with issues with the respiratory or circulatory system, claustrophobia, or other fears associated with being trapped or stuck should speak to their doctor before using a weighted blanket. Weighted blanket Kids under eight years of age should avoid using a weighted blanket unless a physician or licensed therapist has prescribed it. Read further to learn what are weighted blankets used for!
How to Choose the Right Weighted Blanket?
Knowing which weighted blankets have good quality and which ones suit you and your needs can be difficult, especially when the best-weighted blankets are the priciest ones. When buying a weighted blanket, the materials used in the blanket, the weight, size, filler type, cover material, and price are essential things to consider. To become effective, choose the right weight is necessary.
A weighted blanket should be 10% of your natural body weight, but you may add 1 or 2 extra pounds for additional weight if you like. The blanket’s weight is the key to preserving sleep quality and getting an adequate amount of rest each night. Though most manufacturers recommend sticking to 10% of your body weight, for safety reasons, decide on what pressure you like, light touch or deep massage. If you want deep touch massage, more likely you are to enjoy a heavier blanket. Choose the right temperature based on the fabric used.
There are three types of fabric offered to provide customers with the optimal level of comfort, whether fresh, warm, or neutral. Every weighted blanket is made differently and can be filled with plastic, glass, or foam beads. Picking a blanket with functional filler is key; glass beads are the most preferred because of its durability.
Look for blankets with a durable filler material that has mechanisms like gridded stitching or clasps to secure and keep the weight evenly distributed. More durable blankets may be pricey, but they’re likely to last much longer. Weighted blankets with detachable duvet-like cover serve several purposes, include easier washing, temperature control, and the option to swap duvet colors and materials without having to purchase a whole new blanket.
What Are Weighted Blankets Used For?
A weighted blanket is made to provide therapeutic benefits and not to crush you or make you feel uncomfortable. There are many benefits of weighted blankets, including improved quality of sleep, greater focus, reduction of self-stimulatory behaviors, decrease anxiety and stress, and boost your mood and attitude.
This blanket gently presses on the user, and the soothing pressure reduces cortisol, the human body’s primary stress hormone, and encourages the production of serotonin, a hormone associated with feelings of happiness and well-being. Weighted blankets are undoubtedly having a moment, and more and more people are using them merely as a way to wind down from day-to-day stress and help improve sleep.
Eases Insomnia
Insomnia can definitely interfere with your life. As shown in researches, a form of therapy called deep touch pressure stimulation promotes the release of serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical that regulates sleep. Weighted blankets provide this firm but gentle pressure anytime you need it, which means a lot of blissful and deep sleep.
Helps With a Sensory Processing Disorder and Reduces Anxiety
Researchers have described sensory processing disorder as a “traffic jam” in your brain wherein the information gets in, but it somehow gets jumbled and clogged up along the way which can lead to anxiety and meltdowns. For young kids, who don’t always have the emotional maturity to verbalize how they’re feeling may find this disorder especially challenging. However, studies have shown that weighted blankets can produce a calming effect on kids and weighted blankets adults with a sensory processing disorder and help reduce the anxiety that often accompanies the condition.
Fights Back Against the Stress
Stress happens to everyone and can do a number on your mental and physical health. Weighted blankets help you fight back stress. Research shows that deep touch pressure stimulation therapy works and with a weighted blanket, you don’t have to travel to a therapist or buy expensive equipment to get stress relief.
Improves Focus For Individuals With ADHD
One of the most common hallmarks of ADHD is a lack of focus. ADHD poses a wide range of possible symptoms like trouble completing a task, inclined to impulsiveness and restlessness, and it doesn’t affect everyone the same way. Weighted blankets offer deep touch pressure stimulation that has been shown to produce a calming, soothing effect that reduces anxiety. It’s also suitable for kids with ADHD because deep touch pressure also helps with mood and sleep.
Eases Symptoms of Restless Leg Syndrome
Patient with this syndrome often describes it as a tingling or “creepy crawly” feeling in their legs. Symptoms tend to happen more at night, making it hard for sufferers to have a satisfying sleep. Some patients say that weighing down their legs or putting constant pressure somehow relieves the pain. Many rely on compression socks to get some relief, but these socks can be extremely tight and even add discomfort. With weighted blankets, you can get a deep pressure and ease you want without any constriction on your legs.
Helps Fibromyalgia Pain
Fibromyalgia can be debilitating and has sometimes been called a “silent disease” because so many sufferers fail to get a diagnosis or wait for a long time before receiving one. It’s a condition that disproportionately affects women. There is no cure for fibromyalgia; certain drugs just help in managing the symptoms. Gentle but firm pressure is an essential tool for preventing fibro flare-ups. Fibromyalgia patients swear by their weighted blankets and wouldn’t sleep without one.
What are Weighted Blankets Used For? It Improves Sleep Quality
Some people who experience lousy sleep don’t have insomnia. Sometimes, fatigue is the cause of poor sleep quality. As important as getting the right amount of sleep, it is also vital that it is a restful and restorative one. One way to improve the quality of your sleep is through a weighted blanket. Weighted blankets offer deep touch pressure stimulation that boosts serotonin, the gentle pressure it also gives can help you fall asleep faster, sleep longer, and wake feeling more rested.
What Are Weighted Blankets Used For? It Boosts One's Mood
It’s normal to feel down, grouchy, or irritable. Researchers say that chemical changes in the brain cause sudden attacks of sadness. If the mind isn’t producing enough serotonin, it could actually impact your emotional health and sleep. Deep touch pressure stimulation has been shown to boost the production of serotonin, and evidence also shows that it reduces cortisol or stress level. Get this therapy with a weighted blanket at home or anywhere.
What Are Weighted Blankets Used For? It Promotes Calmness
Bad days are experienced by everyone and can strike when you least expect it. You don’t need to be diagnosed with a medical condition to require a weighted blanket truly. Weighted blankets help you unwind and de-stress after a long and tiring day. Everyone can benefit from feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine that weighted blankets definitely deliver.
What Are Weighted Blankets Used For? It Eases Travel Anxiety
Travel is supposed to be fun and exciting, but it can also lead to anxiety and stress for people who have trouble with small, confined spaces like airplanes and cars. If you experience travel anxiety, weighted blankets, or weighted wrap may help. The soothing weight of a weighted blanket can prompt your body to produce the chemical serotonin that makes you feel good. In a study, 78% of people prefer weighted blankets as a calming modality.
What Are Weighted Blankets Used For? It Benefits the Elderly
As we age, we’re at an increased risk of suffering chronic insomnia and experiencing higher rates of anxiety, stress, and depression. Older people tend to experience more of these health problems; that’s why you may have noticed that they tend to stay up very late at night and sleep in short stretches. Researchers found that people who use weighted blankets found it easier to settle down to sleep and had an improved sleep making them feel more refreshed in the morning.
What Are Weighted Blankets Used For? It Addresses Symptoms of PTSD
Mental health professionals often see post-traumatic stress disorder in people who have been involved or suffered traumatic or stressful events like tragic car accidents or a physical assault. Any stressful or traumatic experience can trigger PTSD symptoms, which often include insomnia and depression. Weighted blanket therapy, which lowers blood pressure, reduces pulse rates, and helps patients feel less anxious, is one therapy that can ease PTSD symptoms.
What Are Weighted Blankets Used For? It Soothes Symptoms of Panic Disorder
Many people with panic disorder don’t know when an attack will strike. Stressful events seem to make them more prone to experiencing a panic attack. There are many ways to manage a panic disorder, including the use of a weighted blanket. People who sleep with weighted blankets have a good night rest that helps them control fatigue, which is a common trigger for panic disorder, it also makes them wake up feeling less anxious and more refreshed.
Types of a Weighted Blanket (Based on Fabric Used)
Chenille weighted blankets
The weighted chenille blanket is considered to be the world’s softest weighted blanket, made of soft chenille, which is a tremendously fluffy fabric. Sleep is all about comfort, and because of its ultra-soft fabric, this makes the chenille blanket most comfortable. Chenille blankets are an ideal choice for people trying to cope with anxiety and stress.
Minky weighted blankets
The minky weighted blanket is made up of soft and cuddly plush minky fabric and has shorter fiber than chenille, which gives them a smooth and silky touch. This blanket is the best choice for adults and children who tend to have a colder body temperature. Even for people residing in a cold climate, the minky weighted blanket can be the best choice.
Cotton magic weighted blankets
Due to their suitability for all, cotton magic weighted blankets kids are considered to be the best-weighted blankets. It is made with 100% cotton fabric and filled with breathable poly pellets. Cotton weighted blankets will not be hot even when the temperature is kept cool. Instead, it will help dissipate body heat when the person is fast asleep. Because of the breathable cotton used, weighted blankets are best for adults and children with sensory disorders.
Fleece magic weighted blankets
For those who need deep pressure night and day, the fleece magic weighted blanket is the best choice. This blanket is made out of luxurious fleece fabric, which is soft to the touch with high durability. This soft blanket is perfect for every day as it promotes a calming effect on the human body and is an effective natural treatment for those with weighted blankets autism and sensory disorders.
Waterproof weighted blankets
As the name infers, this blanket is water-resistant, fire-resistant, and antimicrobial. Waterproof weighted blankets may form a barrier against liquids, yet it remains breathable. This type of blanket allows the water vapor and heat to escape from inside the blanket, which enables the person to sleep comfortably without the body heat building up inside the blanket.
Custom weighted blankets
Individual needs may vary, and because of this, a person can quickly get custom weighted blankets made for them. The provision for custom weighted blankets offers customers the free will to choose the fabric, size, and weight of their weighted blanket. Custom weighted blankets are made personalize making the user feel more comfortable in them because they’re the ones who choose the material.