Experts Reveal the Perks of Weighted Blankets
Many people are not even familiar with it, but experts want you to acknowledge the benefits of using a weighted blanket.
A weighted blanket is a type of blanket that provides deep pressure to the user. This can be beneficial in many ways, including promoting better sleep, easing anxiety, and providing comfort for those with autism or sensory processing disorders. Recently, experts have started an information drive to inform people of the remarkable benefits of weighted blankets. So, is it time for you to pay attention?
Below is a discussion of the perks of a gravity blanket:
Calming Effect
The gentle pressure of weighted blankets is one-way medical professionals can help reduce stress and anxiety in patients. Countless studies confirm the calming effects of deep touch pressure for people suffering from sensory overload, providing an organizing sensation to their over-stimulated nervous system. Weighted blankets could be the key to a good night’s sleep. Some people say that deep touch pressure is one of the primary sensory information, while others believe it has healing properties. Countless medical professionals confirm that weighted blanket applications have positive effects on individuals with autism and ADHD and those who suffer from anxiety or are hospitalized for chronic pain, and they don’t even know why.
Give Yourself a Hug
A recent study found that the Weighted blanket can offer the same benefits as a firm, comforting hug. The tiny beads in these blankets feel like someone is holding you without being near anyone, which has proven to relieve anxiety and calm an individual down. Research published by Wake Forest Baptist Medical Centre’s Department of Neurosciences evaluated 600 military veterans who used weighted blanket therapy for sleep problems. This type of intervention might have generalizable therapeutic effects across several psychiatric disorders.
Rid Anxiety and Stress
Do you need some help relaxing and de-stressing? Cuddling up on your couch with a Weighted blanket sounds like just the thing. Even if you don’t have anxiety, occupational therapists say that it can still be soothing to relax under a heavy feeling of weight. Another study from the University of California, San Diego found that weighted blankets work due to an uneven distribution of weight on a person’s torso from the blanket’s pressure against their body. The idea came about when I observed how animals calm down under heavy loads while resting in dark places like caves or dens—a phenomenon referred to as “deep-touch stimulation.”
Improve Sleep
Sleep is a natural and necessary function of the body. But for many, it’s not always easy to get enough, so they turn to fall sleeping pills or other medication – which often come with unpleasant side effects like anxiety attacks, disturbed moods during waking hours and even addiction. That doesn’t mean there isn’t another way, though. People who have trouble sleeping at night found that using these blankets helped them fall asleep faster without worrying about being woken up by nightmares in the middle of their slumbering time. Weighted blankets are weighted evenly on both sides, allowing your muscles to relax more as if they were lying down flat rather than awkwardly curled next to one another while on top of an uncomfortable bed mattress or couch.
Increased Melatonin Production
Deep touch pressure stimulation, such as using a weighted blanket, may increase serotonin and melatonin levels. Melatonin is known for promoting sleep and even helping with regulating our circadian rhythm or sleep cycle. It appears to be linked here when triggered by a heavy weight on top, like what can happen from using a weighted blanket then triggers the production of more melatonin too! Sleep disorders like insomnia have been seen to get better in patients who used this kind of therapy.