BETTER SLEEP - Canada's Premium Weighted Blanket

Do Weighted Blankets work? Let’s have a Look at the Research

Do Weighted Blankets work? Let’s have a Look at the Research - BETTER SLEEP - Canada's Premium Weighted Blanket

Weighted blanket devotees have long lauded their benefits, which range from increasing sleep quality to promoting mental health and overall health and wellness. However, many individuals are still skeptical about the effectiveness of these blankets. In this piece, we'll answer the question "Do weighted blankets work?" by explaining how they operate and which medical ailments they can help with.

Do Weighted Blankets work?

Are weighted blankets effective? For the most part, the answer is yes. Weighted blankets have been demonstrated in studies to help people with a variety of chronic diseases, including insomnia, chronic pain, and anxiety, feel calmer and sleep better. 

How Do Weighted Blankets work?

Yes, weighted blankets work, but how do they work? Deep touch pressure (DTP) therapy is a hard, deep pressure stimulation provided by weighted blankets. DTP is a tactile sensory input that produces a soothing, cocooning sensation that helps people relax. 

When you lay a weighted blanket across your body, it provides a subtle, relaxing pressure that feels akin to being stroked. This stimulation causes the release of serotonin and dopamine, which are "feel-good" hormones that make you feel calmer. 

The weight of a weighted blanket slows your breathing, which lowers your blood pressure and slows your heart rate. Feel-good chemicals are released by your brain, and you begin to relax and calm down.

The History of Weighted blankets

When considering the issue, "Do weighted blankets work?" the history of weighted blankets is always brought up.

Occupational therapists were the pioneers of weighted blankets. They come from the squeeze machine, a therapeutic instrument designed by Temple Grandin, an autism specialist. 

Dr. Grandin witnessed cows being brought through a compression apparatus designed to keep them in place while receiving vaccinations when she was a child. 

While the cows first expressed nervousness, Dr. Grandin saw that when the equipment squeezed them, they became calm and docile. 

Dr. Grandin developed a DPT gadget to bring comfort to people with autism based on this concept. She desired the comfort of a hug without the annoyance of being touched by strangers. 

This therapeutic gadget exerted hard yet moderate pressure on the patient's entire body, triggering the release of feel-good hormones in the brain. The squeeze machine reduced cortisol levels and reduced stress and anxiety, but it was big and expensive, therefore therapists wanted a smaller, less expensive alternative. 

Benefits of weighted blankets

Weighted blankets can benefit your mental and physical health in the following ways: 

  • Improve Sleep Quality

Insomnia is a major issue for many people. The stats don't lie: around 30% of Americans suffer from short-term insomnia, and we lose about $63 billion in productivity each year as a result of insomnia. Weighted blankets have the potential to help reduce these figures. 

Weighted blankets may help alleviate insomnia, according to a study published in the Journal of Sleep Medicine & Disorders. With the usage of a weighted blanket, the participants reported finding it easier to fall asleep, having improved sleep quality, and waking up feeling more refreshed. 

Deep pressure stimulation can also help patients with various sleep issues sleep longer and deeper. A weighted blanket can help people suffering from restless leg syndrome, chronic pain, and even sensory difficulties. 

Many of us have experienced the frustration and exhaustion that insomnia and other sleep disorders bring. The advantages of a weighted blanket may help you sleep better. 

  • Reduce Stress and Anxiety

Weighted blankets have also been shown to help with stress and anxiety relief, as well as provide deeper sleep and a sense of comfort. Who wouldn't want something like that?

Participants who use them have lower blood pressure and pulse rates, which are signals of decreased stress levels, according to a study published in Occupational Therapy in Mental Health

Weighted blankets can help persons with anxiety disorders, such as panic attacks, to feel better. Weighted blankets increase dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin levels while lowering stress chemicals, resulting in a relaxing effect for the user. 

How Do Weighted blankets Help Medical Conditions?

Weighted blankets have been shown to help with some medical ailments in addition to contributing to your overall well-being.

If you (or a loved one!) has autism, ADHD, or PTSD, weighted blankets may be able to assist you in coping with your condition.

·      Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

People with PTSD frequently believe they are in danger. Even though PTSD patients are aware that they are safe, their bodies remain in "fight or flight" mode, especially when they are provoked. As you can expect, this is both mentally and physically draining. 

This is when weighted blankets come in handy. DPT can assist relax a person's central nervous system by utilizing the benefits of weighted blankets.

Occupational therapists frequently utilize weighted blankets to assist patients with mental care. They can assist a person in reducing anxiety and regaining emotional control.

·      Autism Spectrum Disorder

By reducing cortisol, DPT calms the neurological systems of people with autism.

It isn't a novel method. DPT has been discovered to be beneficial by occupational therapists, however some persons with autism also have sensory processing issues and dislike being touched. Squeeze Machines, which surround the patient and apply mild, deep pressure, and heavy lap pads, which provide therapy without human contact, are two further tools.

Weighted blankets were developed as an alternative to the Squeeze Machine and lap pads by therapists.

Experience the Benefits of weighted blankets with “Better Sleep”

Weighted blankets have numerous advantages!

A weighted blanket can help you sleep better, whether you're seeking to relieve the symptoms of a certain ailment or simply desire a better night's sleep.

But it's not only us that believe this. Thousands of people have emailed us at "Better Sleep" to tell us how much their lives have improved since they began using our weighted blankets.

So, what exactly are you waiting for? It's time to take advantage of the weighted blanket benefits in alleviating anxiety and stress symptoms and finally get some rest!

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