The idea of wearing a weighted blanket might seem a little strange, but it’s all the rage because it’s said to reduce anxiety and encourage sleep. Can you really get better sleep with something heavy lying on you?
Weighted Blankets: What Are They?
Imagine the lead vest you wear for dental X-rays on a bed-sized scale. That’s how heavy weighted blankets are since they are loaded with glass or plastic beads or pellets. They can weigh between five and thirty pounds, and many people who use them regularly say they reduce anxiety and promote restful sleep.
How Much Should Your Weighted Blanket Weigh?
Manufacturers typically advise adults to use a blanket that is 10% as heavy as they are. The type of filler will decide the thickness. Because the glass beads used in weighted blankets are so tiny and considerably smaller than the plastic pellets, they are often thinner than blankets filled with pellets of plastic.
There are many possibilities if worrying about sleep temperature is on your mind. There are options for you wherever you lie on the scale of sleep comfort, ranging from weighted blankets with additional filling for warmth to blankets that use bamboo as the cover material for cooling.
Do Weighted Blankets Work?
Maybe? Multiple weighted blankets are available for purchase online if you search. Studies on their efficacy, however, are more difficult to find. Research that weighted blankets may help people feel less anxious in various circumstances.
The research documented that of 32 adult volunteers, 63% of those who spent 5 minutes sleeping under a 30-pound blanket reported feeling less anxious. In a different study, 30 patients who had recently been hospitalized for a mental health crisis used weighted blankets, and 60% reported feeling less anxious afterward.
It seems hopeful, but there isn’t much research on weighted blankets, and those that have been done haven’t been very conclusive in linking them to sleeplessness. This lack of research makes it too early to make any scientific inferences. However, there is also no proof opposing the use of weighted blankets.
Summary
So what’s the final word? It would be worth a shot if you have a couple of hundred dollars to spend on a weighted blanket. But you shouldn’t only depend on a blanket to help if anxiety is at the core of your sleep issues.
It’s essential to focus on a sound sleeping routine and any measures you put in place. You should also speak with a mental health expert if your anxiety becomes too much to handle. They can assist you in creating long-term plans for controlling your stress and anxiety.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32204779/
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0164212X.2015.1066220?cookieSet=1
https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety/do-weighted-blankets-work#benefits
