The weighted blanket, a rather very old concept, was proclaimed as the invention of the year in 2017, albeit it was designed back in the 20th century. Being popularized by celebrities and influencers, it has gained a lot of attention in the past several years.
Apart from the many meaningless fads that are commonly trendy in mainstream use, this is a great choice of a therapeutic tool for health and life quality improvement.
The accurate scientific arguments that the story of the weighted blanket relies on, have increased the interest in the product and the number of satisfied users.
Let’s look at the magic that the weighted blanket for adults performs and is that all there is.
The Beneficial Effects of the Weighted Blanket
The simple explanation of why putting additional weight on your body is good, is that it resembles a hug. A comforting feeling of a hug is universal for all humans and animals equally. Therefore, a weighted blanket provides a hugging sensation that calms the body, putting it into a state of relaxation and satisfaction.
In scientific words: the weight of the blanket stimulates the nerve endings on your skin, providing what is called deep touch pressure stimulation DTP. This stimulation triggers changes in the nervous system – activates the “rest and digest” state (the parasympathetic system).
Several consecutive processes that follow, lead to increased secretion of the so-called “happiness” hormones in the body:
- Serotonin
- Dopamine
- Oxytocin
- Endorphins
Another very important hormone that is released inside the body is the Melatonin. Melatonin is the sleep hormone. It’s secreted only when it’s dark, in order to put the body to sleep. Disrupted sleep cycles lead to low levels of melatonin in the body. Therefore, once the blanket stimulates your skin the levels of melatonin are increasing providing sound, healthy and undisrupted sleep.
The Pros of Using a Weighted Blanket
source: unsplash.com
Taking into consideration all that we explained above, we can conclude that a weighted blanket provides many advantages. Therefore, here we’ll mention all the pros of using a weighted blanket.
- Eases Insomnia and sleeping problems
- Helps in restoring the natural sleep-wake cycle
- Provides longer and undisrupted sleep
- Reduces the symptoms of anxiety
- Helps with stress-management
- Decreases the symptoms of depression
- Helps with restless leg syndrome
- Relaxes the muscle and alleviates muscle pain
- Improves concentration, memory, and focus
The Cons of Using a Weighted Blanket
source: healthline.com
No serious side effects or harms are reported from the use of a weighted blanket. This therapeutic tool is considered the safest and holistic approach to dealing with health problems and symptoms. However, many users may experience some cons from the use of a weighted blanket. After all, we are dealing with some extra weight put right on top of a human’s body.
Truth to be told, there is quite a big risk to purchase a blanket that’s heavier that you may need. In these cases, the user will experience more of the cons than the pros out of the use of the blanket. To avoid that mistake take a look at this weighted blanket size and weight guide.
Let’s look at some of the disadvantages that are commonly reported by the users of the blanket.
1. A weighted blanket may cause pain or sourness in the joints, knees or muscles
If the weighted blanket is heavier than your body needs, it may leave some of the symptoms mentioned above. Moreover, depending on the type of sleeper (ex: if you are a side sleeper you should purchase lighter than needed blanket to avoid pain) the blanket can cause problems due to its weight. In some cases, the blanket might be just the right weight for your body but the problem might be the following:
2. You need some time to get used to sleeping with a heavy blanket
Some lucky users experience “love on the first touch” with their blanket. However, for many others, the process of adapting might take some time, but it will be well worth it.
You may also like to know about What Temperature Will Help You Sleep Better?
3. Weighted Blankets are pretty expensive compared to regular ones
Some of the weighted blankets found on the market are high-quality products manufactured with 100% natural materials and fillings. However, the price might be presenting the quality or, in some cases, the popularity of the product. If weighted blankets are out the budget, consider a quilt instead.
4. It’s quite heavy to carry it around
A weighted blanket is a high maintenance addition to your bedroom. It’s too heavy to carry it around and not suitable for traveling. Moreover, it takes up a lot of room in your wardrobe/ storage.
