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The benefits of weighted blankets
Weighted blankets have a favorable impact on an individual’s overall health, including physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The benefits of a weighted blanket include helping relieve tension and providing the user with a sense of comfort and relaxation. It achieves these calming effects by applying gentle pressure to the body.
Weighted Blanket For Stress relief & feel like a hug
Sleeping with a weighted blanket helps you to relieve stress and relax. Like the one provided by a weighted blanket, whole-body pressure stimulation relaxes the neurological system by applying pressure. Therefore, sleeping with a weighted blanket has a calming effect akin to what one feels when receiving a hug from another person. Weighted blanket sleep simulates the sensation of being hugged or held. Hugging releases the hormone oxytocin in the body, which helps you relax and makes you feel comfortable. Oxytocin also lowers blood pressure by causing the body to relax, which leads to better sleep.
Compare weighted blankets
| Manufacturer | Visual | check latest price | Sizes and weights | Materials | Certification | Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Weighted Blanket Oeko-Tex Certified by AN |  |  | 60" x 80" 15 lb, 41" x 60" 7 lb, 41" x 60" 10 lb, 48" x 72" 15 lb, 48" x 72" 20 lb, 60" x 80" 20 lb, 80" x 87" 20 lb, 80 x 87" 25 lb, 88" x 104" 20 lb, 88" x 104" 25 lb. | Cotton, Glass beads. | Oeko-Tex | Dark grey |
| All-Natural Weighted Blanket by Saatva |  | | 48” x 74” 12 lb (Single), 86” x 92” 20 lb (Queen, King). | Cotton, Glass bads. | Taupe Vintage Velvet, Graphite Vintage Velvet. |
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| 15lbs Weighted Blanket by YnM |  | | 48" x 72" 15 lb, 48" x 72" 12 lb, 48" x 72" 20 lb,60" x 80" 15 lb, 60" x 80" 20 lb, 60" x 80" 25 lb, 80" x 87" 25 lb, 80" x 87" 25 lb, 36" x 48" 5 lb, 41" x 60" 7 lb,41" x 60" 10 lb, 60" x 80" 17 lb, 60" x 80" 22 lb, 60" x 87" 20 lb, 80" x 87" 30 lb. | Cotton, fiber fill, glass beads. | Oeko Tex | 26 color options |
| Bamboo Weighted Blanket by YnM |  | | 60" x 80" 15 lb, 48" x 72" 12 lb, 48" x 72" 15 lb, 60" x 80" 17 lb, 41" x 60" 7 lb, 41" x 60" 10 lb, 48" x 72" 20 lb, 60" x 80" 20 lb, 60" x 80" 25 lb, 80" x 87" 25 lb, 80" x 87" 30 lb, 88" x 104" 15 lb, 88" x 104" 20 lb, 88" x 104 25 lb, 88" x 104 30 lb. | 100% bamboo viscose cover, Fiber fill, glass beads. | 20 color options | |
| Chunky Knit Weighted Blanket by Brooklyn Bedding |  | | 50" x 60" 10 lb, 50" x 60" 15 lb. | 100% polyester jersey knitted fabric, breathable 100% polyester filling. | Cream, gray. |
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| California Design Den Chunky Knit Weighted Blanket by California Design Den |  | | 40" x 64" 10lbfor 100-140 lb Adult, 40" x 72" 12lb for 100-140 lb Adult, 44" x 72" 15lb for 140 lb Adult. | 100% cotton cover and filler | Burberry, gray, light gray. |
Weighted Blanket For Pressure treatment
For years, mental health experts have used weighted blankets, sometimes known as gravity blankets, as a type of pressure treatment. Pressure therapy doesn’t have to be entirely hands-on, so Anyone can use a weighted blanket to complement massage therapy. Pressure from a weighted blanket comes from the blanket wrapped around the body rather than from another person. Weighted blankets help you rest and calm down by applying pressure to your body.
Weighted Blanket For Lower cortisol
Cortisol, the principal stress hormone, raises blood sugar levels (glucose), improves glucose utilization in the brain, and increases the availability of chemicals that repair cells. Weighted blankets help lower cortisol levels at night by delivering deep pressure and promoting relaxation. On the other hand, high cortisol levels can harm a person’s physical and mental health.
Weighted blanket For disease treatment
Occupational therapists may recommend weighted blankets to treat various diseases, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and sensory over-responsivity. Occupational therapists working with children with ASD frequently use pressure, which has been proven effective in reducing stress and anxiety. Pressure refers to the “sensation produced when an individual is hugged, squeezed, stroked, or held.”
Combined pressure treatment by occupational therapists and a weighted blanket during sleep have been shown to enhance school performance and help keep students focused.
Weighted Blanket For Pain Relief
Weighted blankets can provide pain relief and lower stress. A weighted blanket helps comfort and nestle the body during sleep by pressing the body downwards, resulting in pain relief. Sleeping with a weighted blanket helps reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression and improves sleep quality.
The use of weighted blankets
A weighted blanket can be used on the couch, the bed, or any other place you want to rest. The relaxing impact of weighted blankets allows many people to fall asleep faster and remain asleep longer.
Who can benefit from a weighted blanket?
Weighted blankets may benefit a wide range of people, particularly those under stress or with specific medical conditions. Weighted blankets are beneficial to both children and adults.
Weighted blanket for a child
Sleeping with a weighted blanket has been increasingly popular in recent years, resulting in a greater variety of weighted blankets for kids. Weighted blankets with a reduced weight than adult blankets are available for children.
By imitating deep pressure touch stimulation, weighted blanket sleep has a calming and soothing effect. Weighted blankets are frequently recommended for children who have trouble sleeping. Weighted blankets are sometimes used during the day to help kids experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety.
Weighted blankets for children are available in various sizes, textures, and weights. They are suitable for kids as young as two old.
Weighted blanket for adult
Adults can use weighted blankets to help improve sleep quality and diminish to help lower anxiety levels. According to the PTSD Journal study, weighted blankets benefit adults with mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, ADHD, anxiety, autism, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. People with these health conditions may use a weighted blanket to feel safe, calm, and grounded.
DPTS Deep Pressure Touch Stimulation
The DPTS (deep pressure touch stimulation) is a therapy that can help adults. Like a massage, pressure applied to the body offers physical and psychological benefits. Deep touch pressure refers to the surface pressure used in most firm touching, holding, stroking, and swaddling. In various clinical settings, deep-pressure touch is helpful.
A weighted blanket can be used as a complement to DPTS when the individual is resting at home.
What is inside a weighted blanket?
A variety of materials are used to make weighted blankets. Cotton, flannel, bamboo, linen, and rayon are just a few materials used in weighted blanket manufacturing. Weighted blankets are made to be heavier than regular blankets. A weighted blanket may contain plastic beads, sand, steel beads, pebbles, or grain.
Organic filler materials, such as rice, beans, grains, and corn, are used as fillers in weighted blankets and are typically less expensive. These fillers have substantial problems, such as a higher likelihood of degrading over time, emitting unpleasant odors, attracting insects, and risk of mildew growth.
Plastic pellets, molded into tiny, round beads, are frequently used to fill commercially produced blankets. They’re hypoallergenic, washable, and long-lasting. Plastic pellets, on the other hand, have several disadvantages. They can make your weighted blanket feel rough and uncomfortable and add to plastic pollution. Plastic pellets are problematic for persons who use weighted blankets to alleviate symptoms of hypersensitivity.
Although sand is one of the most inexpensive fillers for weighted blankets, it has several disadvantages. Sand can be dusty and contaminated, depending on the source.
Steel beads are a suitable filler material because of their heavier and uniform weight. However, steel beads are typically larger than grains of sand, resulting in lumps that may disrupt your relaxing weighted blanket experience. Steel beads may oxidize depending on the alloy of the metal and the climate to which they are exposed.
A cloth cover is often included with weighted blankets. The cloth cover acts as a pad between the interior weight and the user’s body. A removable cover is also convenient for washing. While most weighted blankets are constructed of layers, others are made of hand-knitted weighted weaves.
People interested in using weighted blankets have a lot of choices upon purchase, thanks to the wide variety of materials used to manufacture them.
Types of weighted blankets
There are various types of weighted blankets on the market, such as
- knitted weighted blanket
- duvet-style weighted blankets
- Plastic bead weighted blanket
- Glass beads weighted blanket
- ball bearing weighted blanket
Heavy filling materials are used in duvet-style weighted blankets, whereas dense yarn is used in knitted weighted blankets.
Weighted blankets are available in various styles, from custom-made to mass-produced. , One can choose the fabric, size, and weight of their weighted blanket depending on the manufacturer.
Cotton is the material of choice for weighted blankets since they are suitable for everyone. Weighted blankets of 100% cotton fabric help remove excess body heat during sleep.
Are the weighted blankets safe?
Weighted blankets are generally considered safe for healthy children and adults. A weighted blanket can help lower anxiety and is a calming tool.
Regarding safety, It is critical to use the correct weight of your weighted blanket. Selection is based on your body weight. An excessively heavy weighted blanket makes it challenging to change sleeping positions during sleep and may cause low blood pressure and difficulty breathing.
Blankets that weigh more than five pounds may be too heavy for small children. A child may not be able to readily move the blanket, which presents a risk of suffocation if it is pulled above their head. Weighted blankets are unsafe for kids under two, as they lack the strength, muscle control, and dexterity required to move a weighted blanket out of the way.
Individuals with medical conditions should take extra precautions and consult their doctor, occupational therapist, or health care expert before using a weighted blanket.
How to choose the best weighted blanket for your needs?
Weighted blankets come in various weights, ranging from 3 to 25 pounds. Another important consideration in choosing the best weighted blanket is the fabric. Quilted cotton and rayon are standard materials.
It is vital to select the proper blanket weight for your needs. Weight selection for a weighted blanket is based on your body weight.
Weighted blankets for children should be about 10% of their body weight + 1-2 pounds. Some children enjoy extra pressure when trying to sleep, while others may deem the blanket too heavy or uncomfortable.
Most people enjoy a weighted blanket equal to roughly 10% of their body weight, generally between 12 and 20 pounds. For example, a 180-pound person would probably feel comfortable under an 18-pound weighted blanket. A king or queen-sized weighted blanket for a couple should be 20/25 pounds.
Weighted blankets come in various sizes, shapes, colors, and materials.
A weighted blanket’s deep pressure stimulation delivers a peaceful, soothing feeling that facilitates and enhances sleep. Both children and adults may benefit from using a weighted blanket, which is generally safe to use.
