What Are The Benefits Of Sleeping With A Weighted Blanket?

Isn’t insomnia a frustrating issue? You may try a cup of chamomile tea to help you relax. Play some soothing music…. take a long, hot bath… You’ve tried every tactic you can think of, yet you still can’t get to sleep… maybe you curse the alarm clock when you wake up at 3 a.m. Many people claim that using a weighted blanket relieves pain and allows them to break the drug cycle.

A weighted blanket has also been shown to help reduce dental discomfort. A weighted blanket, sometimes known as a “gravity blanket,” helps the body “ground” itself when sleeping by pressing it downwards. People have described a very relaxing sensation as a result of this anchoring. Chronic tension and anxiety are also lessened since the blankets replicate deep pressure contact.

Boosts Oxytocin

A weighted blanket’s pressure is akin to that of a hug, providing warmth and security. A hug, according to a study, releases the hormone oxytocin in the body, which aids in relaxing and makes you feel at peace. Oxytocin also causes the heart to slow and blood pressure to drop, causing the body to relax and improve sleep.

Improves Melatonin

Melatonin chemicals are released when serotonin is stimulated by the weighted blanket, supporting sleep and helping to regulate the sleep cycle. It accomplishes this by providing a variety of sorts of support and comfort. Overall, the pressure of the blanket creates a peaceful, relaxing atmosphere suitable to sleep, allowing the tense, nervous, or restless individual to obtain the rest they require. Thus multiple forms of support and comfort are provided by it.

Leaves Insomnia to Rest

Weighted Blankets Can Help Insomnia. Insomnia comes in many forms. Maybe you’re having difficulties sleeping. Or you just can’t sleep and wake up in the small hours of the morning, which is far too early. Insomnia is a common problem for many individuals, but a weighted blanket can help. The weighted substance, according to psychologists, may be beneficial because it generates a gentle touch feeling as you move under the blanket. This might feel like a gentle caress. The feeling may cause the release of hormones and chemicals in the brain that calm the nervous system, lowering anxiety and excitement.

Reduces Anxiety and Restlessness

To fall asleep, you’ll need a sensation of tranquility. The relaxing impact of deep touch pressure stimulation from numerous types of support and comfort provided by weighted blankets has been found to lessen anxiety. The blanket also relieves symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder because deep contact pressure has a soothing impact that improves sleep (ADHD). Deep pressure stimulation reduces restlessness, which benefits both adults and children with this frequent ADHD symptom — and research suggests it can also assist with sleep issues.

Helps Student Focus

For a youngster with a sensory processing condition like autism, a school might be difficult. The commotion and bright colors in the corridors and classrooms are overpowering. For the youngster, this can be overwhelming, resulting in frustration and sadness. Educators and occupational therapists have promoted the use of weighted vests and lap cushions for years. Researchers believe that the hard, yet moderate pressure relieves tension and keeps children focused, as well as allowing them to sleep better.

Working of Weighted Blankets That Improve Sleep Issues

The notion behind these blankets is that the weight’s pressure has some medicinal benefits. It reminds me of a baby’s swaddling blanket, which comforts it as it sleeps. Weighted blankets can help with:

Calm Your Nerves

When you’re apprehensive, the pressure from the blanket may cause neurological system reactions that cause your heart rate and respiration to slow down. This might assist you in relaxing and sleeping. Weighted blankets may also aid in the reduction of tossing and turning in bed, allowing you to lie motionless and fall asleep.

Trigger Natural Chemicals

The pressure may cause your brain to release serotonin, a hormone that helps your mind and body relax. Serotonin can help you sleep and keep your mood stable. Pressure can help your body release oxytocin, which can help your immune system respond better, relieve pain and stress, and aid sleep.

Sensory Therapy

Some persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or ADHD who are overstimulated by noise may benefit from weighted blankets. The pressure of the blanket at night-time may make kids feel comfortable and secure. They relax and get some sleep.

Researchers in the first of these experiments, published in 2008 in the journal Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, instructed 33 participants to relax for 5 minutes beneath 30-pound (13.6 kg) blankets. They discovered that using a weighted blanket reduced skin conductance (a measure of arousal based on minute changes in the quantity of perspiration on the skin) by 33% more than not using one. Nineteen people stated they felt multiple forms of support and comfort with the blanket on, eight said they felt equally relaxed either way, and three said they felt more worried beneath it.

However, the study only determined whether or not weighted blankets are safe to use, not whether or not they are beneficial in improving people’s health. The findings revealed that simply lying down was enough to physically relax most people to the point where the weighted blanket’s added effect vanished.

Conclusion

Before using a weighted blanket, see your doctor if you have sleep apnea, breathing issues, or any other chronic health issue. Before allowing your kid to sleep under one, consult with your kid’s doctors or therapist. Children with epilepsy, lung or heart difficulties, skin allergies, blood circulation difficulties, or those who are unable to remove the blanket on their own should avoid them. Choose a blanket that is no more than 10% of your body weight and check the cleaning directions to determine if it is simple to wash at home. Make sure you or your child enjoys the feel of the cloth and is comfortable with the weight. You don’t want to be heated or imprisoned by the weight of the blanket.