TOP 21 Weighted Blanket Benefits

Weighted blanket benefits are the reason why those items have grown increasingly popular among many different people.

Sleeping with a weighted blanket is improves relaxation, sleep quality, and calmness. But the list of the weighted blanket benefits is much longer, here are some of the main benefits:

1. Provide Comforting Safety
2. Anxiety Relief
3. Improve Sleep Quality & Quantity
4. Relax The Nervous System
5. Relieve Insomnia
6. Chronic Pain Relief
7. Release Muscular Tension
8. More Deep Sleep
9. Relieve Fibromyalgia Symptoms
10. Feeling Of Being Loved
11. Reduces Stress
12. Improve Mental Focus
13. Relieve Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)
14. Promote Happiness
15. Promote Calmness
16. Reduce Travel Anxiety
17. Improve Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
18. Help To Control Panic Attacks
19. Relieve Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
20. Help With Autism
21. Relieve Neurological Disorders & Mental Health

For many people, these blankets have become an integral part of their everyday lives, and they have become reliant on them.

But the question is whether these blankets really do work as miraculously as they say. Not only have they been claimed to be useful for anxiety, but they have also been claimed to be effective for other conditions such as autism and insomnia.

To get a better understanding of the topic, you can read how weighted blankets work. In short, “deep pressure stimulation”, a therapeutic treatment that applies forceful, regulated pressure to generate a feeling of relaxation, is the inspiration for weighted blankets. Sleeping with a weighted blanket may have both subjective and objective benefits.

But let us also look at what these blankets are constructed of. These weighted blankets are thought to be particularly hot, but this is not always true. This could be due to the fact that different weighted blankets are composed of different materials in order to deliver the comfort that they are designed to provide.

It’s also important to realize that the blanket’s purpose is influenced by more than just its weight. But there’s also the materials, layers, and stuff it’s constructed of. These blankets can serve a variety of purposes for both hot and cold sleepers, and the material used to make them is an important factor to consider when choosing one for yourself.

Researchers also suggest that if a person wants to buy a weighted blanket to help with anxiety, they should look for one that is around 10% of their body weight.

These blankets have now become increasingly fashionable in recent years. You may have heard of weighted vests before these blankets. Which were also quite popular among those who possibly have autism or other associated disorders.

The idea of acquiring a weighted vest to keep their children at peace or deal with various types of distractions in their everyday lives was highly popular among parents of such youngsters.

Depression, anxiety, and sleeplessness are all being taken more seriously around the world today. With these growing concerns, the use of weighted blankets has grown in popularity.

21 Remarkable weighted blanket Benefits

Here’s our comprehensive guide about some well-known weighted blanket benefits.

1 – Provide Comforting Safety

Weighted blankets are acting similarly to how a tight swaddle is making neonates feel safe and secure. Many people feel that these blankets help them fall asleep faster by instilling a sense of security. The feeling when sleeping with one of these blankets is similar to a firm and comforting hug.

2 – Anxiety Relief

Weighted blankets for anxiety can be beneficial in reducing tension and anxiety. The benefits of a weighted blanket may translate to better sleep for persons suffering from anxious thoughts because stress and worry typically interfere with sleep. Anxiety affects somewhere at some point in their lives. It’s a feeling of dread and foreboding, often concerning something that will happen in the future. It might trigger your heart rate to rise and you’re breathing to quicken as your body prepares for a stressful situation.

You may have an anxiety disorder if your anxiety is chronic and disrupts your daily life. Someone may worry excessively about ordinary conditions rather than stressing about an imminent occasion. This might make your body feel as if it is constantly in a stressful scenario or environment.

Your autonomic nervous system, which manages basic physical activities like respiration, digesting, sweating, and chattering, helps your body either stress or rest based on what’s going on around you. The fight or flight response is commonly referred to as this.

The pressure of weighted blankets puts your autonomic nervous system into “rest” mode, which reduces anxiety symptoms like a racing heart and shallow breathing. This can help you feel more relaxed.

3 – Improve Sleep Quality & Quantity

You’re not alone if you find yourself tossing and turning in bed from time to time. Over 40 million people in the United States suffer from long-term, chronic sleep disorders, which affect 20 million Americans on a regular basis. Stress and worry can either start a sleep disorder or exacerbate current issues. Stress and worry can impair your sleep even if you don’t have a condition.

Deep pressure stimulation, which is used in weighted blankets, is designed to affect the creation of an emotional state hormone (serotonin), diminish the stress hormone (cortisol), and contain high amounts of melatonin, the sleeping hormone. This could help you get a better night’s sleep.

Weighted blankets for sleep can assist your body to relax by lowering your heart rate and breathing, allowing you to receive the restful sleep you need so you can wake up feeling fully restored.

4 – Relax The Nervous System

A hyperactive nervous system can cause anxiety, hyperactivity, a racing heart, and shortness of breath, all of which disrupt sleep. Weighted blankets may reduce the fight-or-flight response and activate the calming parasympathetic nervous system in preparation for sleep by distributing an even amount of weight and pressure across the body.

5 – Relieve Insomnia

Weighted blankets are a safe and effective natural treatment for insomnia, according to researchers who discovered that sleeping with a heavy blanket reduced insomnia, improved sleep, and reduced daytime sleepiness in insomnia patients with psychiatric illnesses.

Insomnia may be the main problem, or it may be related to other medical conditions or medications. You don’t have to go through sleepless nights. Simple changes in your daily routine can often help. Insomnia is a frequent sleep problem that makes it difficult to fall asleep, keep sleeping, or prompt you to wake up too soon and be unable to sleep again. When you wake up, you may still be exhausted. Insomnia can deplete your energy and attitude, as well as your health, job performance, and overall quality of life.

The most recent study, published in the Journal of Sleep Medicine and Disorders in 2015, is very interesting. The sleep of 31 persons with chronic insomnia was tracked for one week using their usual bedding in this study. Then they slept with a weighted blanket for two weeks. Then they slept with their regular bedding again in the fourth week. The weighted blanket benefits were well perceived by the participants. They were able to sleep for longer periods of time and were less disturbed during the night when utilizing the weighted blankets. When they used the weighted blanket, they were less restless before going to sleep. They also stated that they slept better and felt more refreshed when they awoke. If you’re having difficulties getting a good night’s sleep, this can be a game-changer.

6 – Chronic Pain Relief

Pain is one of the most personal conditions there is; we all have various sources and experiences with it. Chronic pain can be caused by prior injuries, poor posture, bad habits, medical issues, misuse, or even stress. Chronic pain, if left untreated, can gradually take over our quality of life.

We have trouble sleeping, and we get brain fog or difficulty concentrating at work. Chronic pain causes us to become more agitated, irritated, and even sad. Many patients turn to the daily use of over-the-counter pain medications or costly operations to alleviate chronic pain.

These therapies can be beneficial and even indispensable in some circumstances. However, in some cases, there are more natural and side-effect-free alternatives to improve your health and relieve discomfort.

Weighted blankets for pain relief are one of the easiest and most comfortable ways to reduce chronic pain. These blankets have been shown in studies to significantly reduce and improve a number of pain disorders, especially when used in conjunction with other pain-relieving strategies.

7 – Release Muscular Tension

Stress and strain can produce muscle stiffness and tense joints during our busy days. Our pain is exacerbated by psychological rigidity, which can also lead to additional wear and tear on our bodies. Yet after falling asleep, we can hold on to this tension (ever had a painful jaw from clenching your teeth all night? One-half of the children in a sample of 42 had ADHD symptoms, whereas the other half did not. For four weeks, they were monitored by sleep tests and parent diaries, and for two weeks, they slept with a weighted blanket. The ADHD children discovered that using a weighted blanket reduced the amount of time it took them to fall asleep and the number of times they awoke during the night. They slept just as well as children who did not have ADHD.

You’ll feel relieved as soon as you sleep under your weighted blanket thanks to its benefits. The blanket’s weight tells your brain and body that it’s time to unwind. The blanket soothes our minds and muscles, allowing us to unwind completely.

8 – More Deep Sleep

Our bodies require deep sleep in order to fully repair and replenish themselves. Your physical symptoms will take longer to heal if you don’t get enough sleep, and you’ll be more likely to re-injure yourself. Over time, better sleep may lead to decreased discomfort.

When your pain keeps you from getting a good night’s sleep in the first place, you’re in even more danger. You’re not only losing out on the rest and healing you need, but you’re also becoming more sensitive to pain after a night of bad sleep. A weighted blanket benefits your melatonin levels, allowing you to sleep better, and longer, with much less pain throughout the night, allowing you to wake up feeling refreshed and at ease.

9 – Relieve Fibromyalgia Symptoms

Fibromyalgia symptoms include tremendous pain throughout the body, which can make day-to-day tasks challenging. Painkillers, both over-the-counter and prescription, physical and occupational therapy, and counseling are all used to help people manage their activities while in pain. Massage is also used by many people to temporarily relieve discomfort. A weighted blanket for fibromyalgia offers the same benefits as massage, with the added benefit of someone who is a personal, comforting addition to your home that will become a trusted family member.

Our weighted blanket weight guide can help you choose the best weight for a fibromyalgia weighted blanket. You may tailor your weighted blanket to apply more pressure in trouble areas and less pressure where it is not needed, as many people feel more acute pain in different sections of their bodies.

You can easily apply more pressure on an area of your body by simply folding the blanket on top of it.

The mild, solid pressure of a weighted duvet has helped people affected by fibromyalgia to avoid symptom flare-ups. This gentle pressure also helps with anxiety relief and sadness, as well as sleep and overall quality of life.

10 – Feeling Of Being Loved

A weighted blanket’s pressure is akin to something like a hug, providing warmth and security. A hug, according to several studies, releases the hormone oxytocin in the body, which aids in relaxation and makes you feel secure.

Oxytocin is also known as the “love hormone” and causes the heart to decelerate and blood pressure to drop, causing the body to relax and improve sleep. This can give a sort of feeling of being loved to many weighted blanket users.

11 – Reduces Stress

A weighted stress blanket applies a mild yet firm pressure to the body’s deepest layers. Researchers discovered that “deep pressure stimulation”, also known as “proprioceptive pressure”, stimulates the development of two natural substances in the brain dopamine and serotonin, which have a stabilizing impact and can help people cope with anxiety, stress, and depression.

A therapeutic weighted blanket can help you ground your body while you sleep, which can boost the relaxing impact.

Grounding is seen in studies to improve lower evening cortisol levels, a stress hormone that seems to also have negative effects on blood sugar, gastrointestinal, and immunity.

12 – Improve Mental Focus

For a youngster with a sensory processing condition like autism, school might be difficult. The commotion and pastel colors in the passageways and classrooms are overwhelming. For the young person, it can be overwhelming, leading to frustration and sadness.

Occupational therapists and educators have been promoting the use of heavy vests and lap pillows for a long time. Researchers believe that the hard but gentle pressure of heavy blankets relieves anxiety and keeps children more focused, as well as allowing them to sleep better.

13 – Relieve Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)

If you have restless leg syndrome, you’ll find that the tingling is most noticeable at night, disrupting your sleep. You may find it difficult to sleep because you feel compelled to move your legs all the time during the night. It’s quite concerning!

Compression socks can provide some relief, but if they are excessively tight, they can be very painful. If you have arthritis, you may find it difficult to put your socks on your legs.

The best way to deal with this is getting the calming pressure from a weighted blanket for restless legs. This can help you with RLS without the feeling of tightness given by compression socks on your legs.

14 – Promote Happiness

You might not have been getting appropriate mood-lifting brain chemicals if you’re irritable or depressed. The hormone serotonin, which impacts mood disorders, is also classified as a brain chemical.

“Deep pressure stimulation” therapy with weighted blanket benefits the release of serotonin. This deep pressure also enables the brain to relax by lowering cortisol levels, which is a stress hormone.

One of the most appreciated weighted blanket benefits is to provide the comforting hug you need to lift your spirits and alleviate your sadness. A comforting heavy blanket can be a great companion to promote that feeling of safety that can help you feel happier.

15 – Promote Calmness

If you’ve had a stressful day, covering yourself in a weighted blanket when you arrive home will help you relax. If you’re stressed out because of a lousy employer or awful traffic, your anxiety blanket can help.

Serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin are all useful hormones and neurotransmitters that are naturally released when sleeping with these blankets and will give you the calming embrace you need.

16 – Reduce Travel Anxiety

You’re probably not wrong if you get nervous in a tight place like a car or an airplane. Others are bothered by the airport’s rapid speed and throng. Many may find staying in a foreign place, such as a hotel room, challenging.

If you’re worried about these things when traveling, a weighted blanket might benefit you. The blanket’s deep pressure stimulation can aid in the production of serotonin, a calming hormone, and brain chemical.

In one study, 78 percent of people who used weighted blankets said it helped them relax. If you are planning to get a 5.5 kg travel weighted blanket, check our store. The handy travel bag included is a very useful accessory while traveling. This will be easier to carry and give you the benefits you are looking for while away from home.

17 – Improve Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a significant condition that affects many people who have been through an extremely traumatic incident.

For example, PTSD is a disorder that impairs veterans who have served in the military. Survivors of a physical attack or a major vehicle accident are two other types of trauma survivors.

Anxiety, insomnia, and despair are all symptoms of PTSD that can be treated with a variety of therapy. According to studies, a weighted blanket can help relieve PTSD, allowing the person to feel less anxious while also improving the blood pressure and pulse rate.

18 – Help To Control Panic Attacks

Panic attacks can be terrifying, but a weighted blanket benefits your relaxation and, thanks to its natural calming effect, can help you to be less exposed to them.

If you have panic disorder, you may feel compelled to shield yourself from stressful events that heighten your dread and make you more vulnerable to panic episodes.

A weighted blanket for anxiety can help you sleep better, allowing you to wake up feeling refreshed and less worried. A heavy blanket helps to soothe both the body and the mind by producing ‘calming’ hormones and neurotransmitters.

19 – Relieve Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Every person with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is different. Some people have very tight dietary or lifestyle requirements. Maybe you’re afraid of germs. Alternatively, you may require a very ordered atmosphere. OCD is characterized by persistent, obsessive thoughts and activities.

Low serotonin levels have been associated with OCD. The deep touch pressure stimulation therapy offered by a heavy blanket, according to researchers, will stimulate serotonin and help keep OCD symptoms under control. The weighted blanket benefits for OCD have been observed by many people, so you just have to give it a try, and very probably it will be able to help you.

20 – Help With Autism

An anxiety blanket may assist persons with developmental disorders to focus on the deep pressure of the blanket rather than other sensory cues in their environment by engaging the sense of touch. And in very stressful conditions, this pressure may bring comfort and allow individuals to rest. Weighted blanket benefits to sleep quality have been observed and children with autism frequently prefer to use one.

If your child has autism, you’ll be relieved to learn that a weighted blanket can help them cope with their symptoms. Massage or touch therapy has been reported to aid in the management of autistic symptoms. Touch psychotherapy improves anxiety, mood, and impulse control, but also by decreasing levels of the stress hormone cortisol and raising levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine, according to research.

21 – Relieve Neurological Disorders

Uncontrollable symptoms such as tics and movements plague people with this neurological illness, causing exhaustion and anxiety.

A weighted blanket’s deep pressure therapy can help to relieve anxiety and offer a sense of serenity, which can help you sleep better and relieve some of the effects of neurological disorders.

Are Weighted Blankets Safe?

The list of weighted blanket benefits is quite long, as many people experienced improvements in so many different aspects of their life. But are anxiety blankets safe?

Weighted blankets are typically deemed safe as long as the user has sufficient strength and flexibility to pull the blanket off themselves when necessary to avoid entanglement.

Before using a weighted blanket, some sleepers should take extra care and see their doctor. People with specific medical disorders, such as chronic respiratory or cardiovascular issues, asthma, low blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and claustrophobia, may not be able to use a weighted blanket.

Experts also advise against using weighted blankets if you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) because the weight of a heavy blanket may risk blocking airflow.

The majority of people like a weighted blanket that is equal to roughly 10% of their body weight, but you must evaluate your particular tastes while shopping for one.

Weighted blankets are available in different weights ranging from 4 to 20 kg and in normal bedding sizes such as single, twin, double, queen, and king. Weighted blankets in child or travel sizes are also available from some manufacturers.

In conclusion, if you don’t have specific medical conditions, weighted blanket benefits are evident and nowadays already enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people around the world. You can safely choose your preferred heavy blanket and get ready to enjoy more restful nights!

Relixiy® offers some of the best weighted blankets in the UK, with premium high-quality options to improve your sleep and potentially give you all the benefits described in this article.