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If you have been battling insomnia, anxiety, or stress, you need the right bedtime companion to help you get the much-needed sleep. A weighted or gravity blanket can help calm your body, leading to a night of perfect slumber.
A weighted blanket is heavier than your average blanket. Most weighted blankets weigh between 3 and 20 pounds and differ depending on your body weight.
If you’re wondering where you can buy a weighted blanket, department stores and online shops such as Walmart have them in plenty. In fact, if you decide to buy your weighted blanket at Walmart, you might also stand a chance to win a $1000 gift card after filling out the Walmart survey.
In addition to being a solution for sleep problems such as insomnia and tossing and turning at night, heavy blankets are also used as an alternative remedy for several health conditions, including:
- Anxiety
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Osteoarthritis
How Does A Weighted Blanket Improve Your Sleep And Get Rid of Anxiety?
Due to their extra weight, these blankets provide added pressure against your body, soothing you to sleep. The extra pressure is very calming, almost like how a baby feels when they are swaddled.
Other ways that a weighted blanket will help you sleep better and improve your anxiety include:
- Weighted blankets help ground your body during sleep – these blankets are stuffed with pellets providing extra weight that pushes you downwards during sleep.
- Weighted blankets also provide deep pressure stimulation – Deep pressure touch is a therapy often used by occupational therapists that involves firm swaddling, stroking, pressing, squeezing, or hugging your body to reduce anxiety and stress. Deep pressure stimulation allows your body’s pressure sensory receptors to send signals to the brain to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps you feel calm. Similarly, a weighted blanket provides a form of deep pressure that lowers your stress and anxiety levels.
- Help the body release melatonin – The firm pressure provided by a gravity blanket helps the brain release the sleep hormone melatonin and the mood stabilizer hormone serotonin. Just like when you receive a hug, a weighted blanket also encourages the body to release oxytocin, the feel-good hormone. The result is that your body experiences a deep sense of calmness that helps you sleep better.
- Calm the nerves – Weighted blankets have been used on people with ADHD and ASD to help them calm down and feel safe. Pressure from these blankets helps lower their breathing and heart rates when they are feeling anxious or stressed. The result is that they can calm down and rest.
Who Should and Shouldn’t Use A Weighted Blanket
If you suffer from any of the conditions mentioned above, you can use a weighted blanket. However, always ensure the blanket is comfortable and isn’t too heavy.
You should never use a weighted blanket on an infant or a toddler as the blanket may be too heavy for the child to remove if it covers their face during sleep. The pellets inside the blanket could also pose a choking risk to your infant if they fall out.
People with breathing problems and other chronic diseases should also avoid using a weighted blanket unless their doctor recommends it. If you snore or have sleep apnea, a weighted blanket may worsen the condition due to the extra weight it places on your chest.
What to Consider Before You Buy Your Weighted Blanket
To find the perfect weighted blanket, the first thing you should consider is the blanket’s weight. Experts recommend that the blanket should weigh 10 percent of your weight. So, if you weigh 100 pounds, get a 10-pound blanket.
Other factors to consider when buying your gravity blanket include:
- Material– Choose a blanket that is made of a comfortable and breathable fabric. For instance, a cotton weighted blanket will keep your body cool during hot nights and ensure proper air circulation. If you’re looking for a warmer blanket, consider one made of a milky material. The stuffing material in your blanket is also important. Most gravity blankets have either plastic or glass pellets.
- Size – If you frequently toss and turn in bed, you don’t want a blanket that is too big such that it hangs over the sides of your bed. A blanket that moves with you and one that will cover your entire body is the best. Consider if you’re also going to use the blanket with your spouse, so you can buy one that will adequately cover both of you. If you intend to buy the blanket for your child, go for kids’ gravity blankets since they are smaller and lighter
- Cost – Weighted blankets are costly. The price range for a comfortable and quality gravity blanket is between $70 and $300. So, be prepared to dig deeper in your pocket, especially if you want a bigger, heavier, or more stuffed blanket.
- Washing instructions– Gravity blankets, due to their weight, can be hard to hand wash. Choose a blanket that is machine washable. If you’re worried that your blanket may need constant washing, buy one with a removable cover.
A weighted blanket has amazing benefits, which is why it has become a popular choice among poor sleepers. A gravity blanket hugs your body and uses deep pressure stimulation to help calm your body. It also triggers the release of sleep hormones such as melatonin. The result is better, quality sleep.
