The Benefits of a Weighted Blanket: What It Is?

Since winter started, we all changed our summer beddings and opted for the warm and cozy blankets. However, if you are thinking about buying a new one, you might want to try something entirely new and unconventional and that is probably the reason you started researching weighted blankets. If that is the case, this article will help you learn what is a weighted blanket, as well as what benefits of purchasing one are.

What Is It?

If you ever bought a hot wrap with small beads or a neck pillow, a weighted blanket will provide you with the same feeling. To put it simply, weighted blankets are blankets stuffed with beads made from plastic, glass or other tiny round materials. Although it is pretty much the same as a usual blanker, the beads make it heavier.

Before these blankets became popular amongst people for common use, they were used in hospital settings to help individuals with certain conditions such as autism and anxiety. When they used a weighted blanket, it helped them focus on their sensory experiences, as well as calm their emotional responses. But, nowadays, companies manufacture them as a tool for relaxation which can prevent medical problems like anxiety and insomnia.

In theory, if a person uses a heavier cover, it will mold their body better, which means that he or she might feel more comfortable and secure while sleeping. It is also harder to toss and turn while the cover is on you, hence, it will stay on you for the entire sleeping period, meaning that you will be able to get continuous sleep without the need to wake up to cover yourself again. Research also shows that it can slow down the heart rate and breathing, which provides higher sleep quality. In the further text, learn how heavy your blanket should be, what it feels like to sleep under it, how they work, and the benefits they provide.

How Heavy Should It Be?

The weight should be close to 10% of your entire body weight. So, if you have around 65 kilograms (140 pounds), it should be 6.5 kilograms (14 pounds). It is okay for someone to use a blanket that is not 10% of their weight, however, keep in mind that they will only be able to gain all the benefits if the weight is correct. All of them have interior lining filled with beads and, of course, the weights available will depend on the company that manufactures them, but it usually ranges from 2 kilograms (4 pounds) to 12 kilograms (25 pounds). If you want to see what blankets you can opt for, click here.

What Does it Feel Like?

A lot of people who are thinking about purchasing these covers want to know the answer to this question and a simple answer is that it feels like you are being gently held in a hug. It applies even pressure over your entire body, and as previously stated, it will keep you calm and still while you sleep. The cover will provide a calming, soothing effect of a hug, and from experience, you must know that all hugs make people relaxed. And by using a weighted blanket, you will be able to feel just that.

How Do They Work?

Hugs by someone we love will always feel relaxing and comfortable. Hugs and gently applied pressure can both have meaningful mental and physical impacts on your body and these covers can also provide you with those effects. The distributed weight is usually referred to as “deep pressure stimulation” and that deep pressure is what evokes those soothing feelings.

The Benefits You Can Gain

Before we go on to the list, it is worth mentioning that people suffering from insomnia find that they sleep better under this cover. The benefits of sleeping under it include:

1. It Boosts Oxytocin Levels

As aforementioned, the pressure from this blanket creates a feeling similar to a hug, and it also provides a feeling of security and warmth. Various studies conducted concluded that being hugged releases a hormone called oxytocin which helps our bodies feel at ease and relaxed. The hormone produced also slows down the heart rate and reduces blood pressure, and again it prompts the body to relax. By boosting the oxytocin levels, you will be able to have better sleep quality and continuous sleep.

2. It Boosts Serotonin and Dopamine Levels

The deep pressure stimulation will help your body by producing two quite important brain hormones – dopamine and serotonin. The hormones are both responsible for our happiness, hence, they will help you fall asleep by fighting depression, anxiety, and stress. So, not only will you be able to sleep better, but you will also be able to psychologically feel better. Isn’t it wonderful that a blanket can help us with these things?

3. It Boosts Melatonin Levels

When our bodies release serotonin, another hormone called melatonin is also released. Melatonin controls our sleep-wake cycles and patterns which makes it quite important for the sleep quality we get. That is what these weighted blankets are about, the comforting effects they have on our bodies will help us with sleeping, so, even the restless people can get the sleep amount they need.

4. Say “Goodbye” to Insomnia

If you are suffering from insomnia, you must know that it comes and goes in different patterns. You might have problems with falling asleep or staying asleep – however, you can help yourself by purchasing a weighted blanket. People suffering from insomnia who used this blanket stated that they could sleep longer and that they did not have any problems staying asleep during the night. Simply said, it can reduce the effects of insomnia and it is a non-medicine approach to improving sleep quality.

5. It Overall Improves Sleep Quality

Fatigue, sleepiness, and migraines can occur from having bad sleep quality. But, a weighted blanket can help you improve it. As you were able to read, using this cover can boost the levels of important hormones, which will in return, help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep during the night, and it will also make you feel refreshed in the morning.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are various reasons why you should opt for purchasing a weighted blanket. And now that you know what those reasons are, do not waste any more time and start searching for a blanket that will help you with improving your sleep quality.