The use of weighted blankets have been proven effective for many different conditions including anxiety, depression and insomnia. Having said that, here are 3 of the many benefits of using weighted blankets.
- Breaking an Anxiety-Insomnia Spiral
A weighted blanket presses down on your body. This is known as the process of grounding or earthing. Grounding is helpful because it reduces night time cortisol levels.
Your body produces the stress hormone called cortisol when stressed as a form of fight-or-flight response. However, a life or death situation isn’t necessary to produce cortisol. It can be produced when you’re just upset or anxious. As a result, when you’re under an anxiety-insomnia spiral, your cortisol level may spike as you go to bed. A weighted blanket promotes relaxation that helps break the cycle through its deep therapy touch.
2 Calms Down Your Body
Weighted blankets help reduce the activity of your nervous system, especially when it’s bedtime, and your brain still buzzes and your body is aching for more action. The good news is, it doesn’t curb your activity at alarming levels – just enough to allow you to gain some restful sleep.
One study revealed that using weighted blankets help lower anxiety and curb nervous system activity. Physiological changes happen as the body calms down when using a weighted blanket.
3. Improves the Quality of Your Sleep
If you have been struggling with insomnia, you would know what it means to finally fall asleep and unceremoniously wake up after only a couple of hours. Or, even after an 8-huor sleep, you wake up tired and feeling completely drained.
Using a weighted blanket can help address the issues associated with insomnia. It improves the quality of your sleep, in addition to making it easier for you to fall asleep.
These are only 3 of the many benefits of using a weighted blanket. The good news is, you can enjoy the benefits even without underlying health conditions.
Who Can Benefit from Using
Weighted Blankets?
Anyone can benefit from using weighted blankets, and not only those with specific health issues and conditions like insomnia and anxiety disorders. Even people with excellent health can enjoy the benefits of using weighted blankets.
Following are the ways weighted blankets can help different health conditions:
Anxiety
Experiencing stress and anxiety from time to time is normal. However, when it becomes persistent, it can affect your sleep, wellbeing, and health. Using a weighted blanket can ease feelings of anxiety that can, in turn, help with various conditions like trauma, paranoia, and depression. You will feel lighter, relieved of the stress and tension brought about by anxiety.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Fear and emotional distress act like dark clouds hovering above you, resulting to serious sleep disturbances that can affect everything and everyone around. A weighted blanket provides a feeling of comfort and security. Its deep pressure touch aids in warding off unwanted thoughts, and promotes muscle relaxation. Serotonin turns into melatonin that promotes a relaxing sleep.
Fibromyalgia
The chronic condition causes fatigue, muscle stiffness, and pain. It can trigger depression and anxiety. The gentle but firm pressure from the weighted blanket can help relieve the pains, aches and sleeplessness experienced by fibromyalgia sufferers.
Cerebral Palsy
People with cerebral palsy deal with sensory issues and insomnia. Weighted blankets can help ease muscle pains and tension experienced by cerebral palsy sufferers, and improve their overall mood.
Parkinson’s Disease
Lack of sleep is one of the major issues associated with Parkinson’s disease that affects the patients’ nervous system and affects their cognitive and motor functions. Poor posture and muscle stiffness cause discomfort both day and night. Through deep pressure therapy, weighted blankets help relieve these issues.
These are only a few of the health conditions that will benefit from the use of weighted blankets. People with other disorders like cancer, Down syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, and restless leg syndrome can also find relief by using weighted blankets.