In this article, we tell you everything you all must have been curious about for a long. We will discuss the benefits of sleeping underweight, how weighted blankets work, what materials they are composed of, best-weighted weighted blankets for children are all covered in detail in this article. Even some tips on how to wash your weighted blanket are given!
1. How Do Weighted Blankets Function?
A therapeutic blanket that is actually extremely heavy is called a weighted blanket. Adult heavy blankets often weigh 15 to 20 pounds, and using one while you're lying down can help you sleep better, feel less anxious, and be less stressed. But how precisely can a weighted blanket promote restful sleep and calmness? Deep touch pressure, or DTP, is the science that underlies everything.
Medical disorders like high blood pressure, heart disease, insulin resistance, and obesity are more likely to occur when cortisol levels are excessively high for an extended period of time. To put it simply, getting a decent night's sleep is hampered by elevated cortisol levels. A weighted blanket helps lower cortisol levels and ease tension as you sleep.
2. Does Using A Weighted Blanket Help With Anxiety?
Yes, the heavy blanket's gentle full-body pressure mimics a hug while harnessing the healing benefits of deep touch pressure (DTP). DTP helps your body naturally create more melatonin, boosts serotonin levels, and lowers cortisol levels to achieve its calming, stress-relieving effects. Anxiety is reduced by returning the body and mind to this peaceful condition. Resting while carrying extra weight makes you feel calmer, which ultimately makes it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep longer.
3. Will a Weighted Blanket Help Me Sleep?
Many people have discovered that generic sleep troubles, anxiety, and stress levels become more controllable when they sleep with a weighted blanket.
The results of the growing body of research on the usefulness of weighted blankets are encouraging.
Insomnia, anxiety, and stress can all be treated with a weighted blanket, according to a number of significant scientific studies. The conclusions of each investigation are summarized below.
4. What Advantages Do Weighted Blankets Offer?
We discussed how weighted blankets have been shown to improve sleeplessness and reduce anxiety in the last section. But they aren't our breathable blankets' only advantages!
The following are the top 15 advantages of using weighted blankets:
- Improves sleep quality
- Reduces levels of stress
- Relieves tension
- Treating insomnia
- Assists in pain relief
- Fights fibromyalgia's negative effects
- Promotes the advantages of embracing for health
- Facilitates rest for those with autism
- Improves concentration
- Aids in managing sensory overload
- May elevate mood
- Aids in easing OCD symptoms
- Reduces RLS symptoms
- Aids in combating PTSD-related sleep issues
- Addresses the special sleeping requirements of the elderly
Let's delve a little more into some of these advantages supported by science.
Weighted blankets can reduce the symptoms of fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition that frequently comes with restless nights and extreme exhaustion. Weighted blankets have been proven to help certain fibromyalgia patients with their sleep and anxiety-related symptoms.
amazing for PTSD, review
“I have PTSD, and using this blanket has definitely made it easier for me to go asleep. I also observe that I sleep more. When I have anxiousness during the day, it also helps”.
6. How might weighted blankets help with pain relief?
While we sleep, the therapeutic full-body pressure of a weighted blanket can reduce pain and improve overall comfort. Considering that everyone experiences pain differently and that different people respond to treatments differently, chronic pain frequently accompanies excessive cortisol, low serotonin, and poor sleep. Weighted blankets offer a simple and all-natural solution to these issues.
7. Weighted Blankets Can Help With RLS Symptoms
RLS (restless limb syndrome) can go from a small nuisance to a well-known enemy of sleep. Even if RLS doesn't have a known treatment, sleeping underweight can assist with its symptoms.
8. A Synopsis Of Weighted Blanket History
Restorative sleep is something that has always been necessary. Aristotle first described deep sleep as the brain's method of taking care of itself in 350 BC. Weighted blankets offer a cutting-edge yet organic answer to this age-old demand for genuinely restful sleep. At the same time, sleeping too little reduces current health problems including persistent anxiety and stress.
Despite the fact that weighted blankets have been utilized as a therapeutic treatment for autism, sensory disorders, PTSD, and anxiety since the 1990s, the science behind these blankets dates all the way back to Dr. Temple Grandin's illustrious work in the 1960s—and a few very placid cows!
Dr. Grandin, an animal scientist who was also given an autistic diagnosis, was crucial in advancing our understanding of the use and advantages of Deep Touch Pressure (DTP). She initially saw the calming benefits of deep touch pressure on cows; after passing through a chute that delivered deep pressure to their bodies, the animals were noticeably calmer.
Dr. Grandin began to consider how DTP might be used on people to help those who, like her, struggled with anxiety due to their autism.
Today, having experienced a few decades of research and development, DTP is a widely accepted idea. Dr. Grandin's revolutionary research is now incorporated into simple-to-use treatments for anxiety, stress, sleeplessness, and sensory impairments (such as weighted blankets).
9. Do Side Sleepers Benefit from Weighted Blankets?
No matter how you choose to sleep, using a weighted blanket can have advantages. If you prefer to sleep on your side, think about buying one that is a bit lighter than you would if you preferred to sleep on your back.
10. Who Is Not a Good Candidate for a Weighted Blanket?
Weighted blankets are safe for the majority of adults and children when used properly. While there are not many hazards, the following are some categories and exceptions to take into account.
- For young children: Children under the age of five or those who weigh less than 50 pounds should avoid using weighted blankets due to potential safety risks. Always employ adult supervision and ask your pediatrician for their suggestions.
- For expecting mothers: If you're having difficulties sleeping through the night throughout your pregnancy, a weighted blanket may be able to help. Ask your doctor if there are any risk factors that are particular to your pregnancy before you start.
- For seniors: If you have trouble sleeping as you get older, a weighted blanket might help. Always seek medical advice from a professional before using if you have any health issues.
- Advice for people with health conditions: If you have sleep apnea, respiratory problems, or other conditions, err on the side of caution and ask your doctor if it's okay for you to use a weighted blanket while you're in bed.
Yes, if you don't use the right size, it can be too heavy. Choose one that is about 10% of your body weight or refer to the manufacturer's instructions. Consider applying the Goldilocks concept as you test it out. It should feel just perfect – heavy enough to apply gentle pressure, but not so heavy as to be uncomfortable or hinder movement.
12. How Long to Use a Weighted Blanket?
There is no set period of time for using a weighted blanket; the light pressure will make you feel more at ease right away. How frequently you utilize it will determine any long-term advantages. To establish more wholesome sleeping habits, some people might require prolonged, steadfast use. Because everyone is wired differently, consistency is essential for any habit.
13. When Washing A Weighted Blanket, What Setting Should You Consider?
The settings you should use are essentially the same whether you use a washing machine at home or a commercial washer at a laundromat. The mild cycle should be used to wash your weighted blanket initially. In this manner, the fibers and components used to make it won't be harmed or stressed. Additionally, you should never use hot water; just warm or cold water. Additionally, you shouldn't use any chlorine bleach in the washing. Last but not least, you can use ordinary laundry detergent (no need for anything special).
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