Thanks to advanced technology, weighted blankets are now helping people to get a better night’s sleep. With many different sizes, shapes, materials and colors, you may find that using a weighted blanket when sleeping performs better than a lighter comforter.
They’re usually filled with tiny plastic or glass pellets to make them heavier. Some blankets have just a few extra pounds on them, which are ideal for small children. Others may have 20 or more pounds added, which are better suited for adults.
How Do Weighted Blankets Work?
As they are usually filled with tiny pellets to make them heavier, weighted blankets come with just a few extra pounds or many pounds. The great thing about weighted blankets is that they are entirely customizable to your needs.
For those who experience stress, a weighted blanket can help you calm down. By activating your parasympathetic nervous system, the weighted blanket can lower your heart rate. Stress can make your heart beat too quickly, which is where a weighted blanket can help. Weighted blankets use “pressure therapy” which mimics being swaddled, held, or hugged. As the weight produces a calm-inducing amount of pressure on your entire body, its health benefits are vast.
In addition to employing the use of a weighted blanket, it is still highly recommended to practice self-care. Such stress relief techniques as practicing mindfulness and breathing exercises can further help you to relax.
Here are four conditions in which weighted blankets can help both adults and children.
Anxiety
Anxiety is something that everyone experiences, but how much it affects your life is what matters the most. The feeling of uneasiness, worrying, and tightness in your body can increase your heart rate and breathing. This is because your body is preparing for stress.
Your autonomic nervous system is greatly impacted when you feel anxiety. As it controls basic bodily functions such as breathing, sweating, shivering and digestion, being in an anxious state can wreck your nervous system. When you feel anxious, your body’s natural instinct kicks in to trigger the famous flight or fight response.
Weighted blankets can help your body exit the flight or fight response by putting your autonomic nervous system into resting mode. If you feel that you are overly anxious and are worrying or stressing about things on a daily basis, it is important to see a professional who can determine if you are suffering from an anxiety disorder.
Sleep Disorders
Tossing and turning in bed can make for a sleepless night. And, a night full of unrest can leave you feeling drained in the morning. As stress and anxiety can either cause or add to a sleeping disorder, it is vital to tackle your sleep issues in a timely manner.
Weighted blankets can help you resolve sleeping disorder issues by preparing your body for rest. The weight can calm your heart and breath rates while acting as a hug around your body to make you feel safe. This can help you go to sleep faster and stay asleep. Upon waking up in the morning, a weighted blanket’s effects can have you feeling refreshed and energized.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
For those with ADHD, it can be a challenge to focus and sit still. Children with the disorder can see it impacting their life at school and at home as their learning and relationships can suffer.
Children with ADHD can become distracted by their environments, such as other people talking or something that is happening outside. This can make it challenging for them to learn in a normal classroom. Weighted blankets can help children from becoming distracted by other sensory stimuli by providing a calming effect on their nervous system. As a weighted blanket or vest can activate the sense of touch, it can help kids remain on task, fidget less and improve their attention.
Autism
Social interaction is greatly impacted when someone has an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Such a challenge can lead to anxiety and stress while making it hard to function in social settings. A weighted blanket can help relieve stress for people with ASD and aid in their ability to focus. It can also help them to feel safe, loved and rewarded.
Individuals with ASD may also feel like sensory stimulations around them, such as noises and touch, are too intense. This can make activities like playing, working, and socializing more challenging. The pressure from a weighted blanket can actually help provide comfort from feeling over-stimulated and allow them to relax.
As weighted blankets use research and advanced materials to aid those who have trouble sleeping, the benefits have been proven to be of great importance in the advancements in sleep technology.
