The benefits of a weighted blanket
A weighted blanket is often used by people who have trouble falling asleep. But you can gain many more benefits from using a weighted blanket. How about less stress and anxiety, and more calm for people with ADHD, ADD, or autism? Discover how a weighted blanket can improve your life!
A weighted blanket?
In our previous blog, you could read what a weighted blanket is. In this, we explained how the weighted blanket works and where this special relaxation technique originates from. Okay, we will briefly repeat it for you before we continue with the benefits of weighted blankets.
A weighted blanket is a very heavy blanket. Sounds logical, but that doesn't help you much. The weighted blanket is intentionally made heavier. By lying under a weighted blanket, your body switches to 'rest mode'. This is due to Deep Pressure Stimulation (DPS). It's somewhat comparable to acupuncture. Only without the painful needles. The weight of the blanket presses on certain pressure points in your body.
What are the benefits of a weighted blanket?
There are quite a few benefits to be gained from using a weighted blanket. Often, when we talk about weighted blankets, we refer to an improvement in our rest. This means not only your sleep but also a reduction in anxiety or stress. Read on and discover how you can benefit from using a weighted blanket.
A weighted blanket for a better night's sleep
Perhaps the most well-known benefit of the weighted blanket. You sleep better under it! Now you might think; that's subjective, not everyone sleeps better under a weighted blanket. That is certainly true. Nevertheless, research on weighted blankets has shown that people who sleep under a weighted blanket do indeed sleep objectively longer!
"How come you sleep better under a weighted blanket? Do you remember the acupuncture example? By stimulating pressure points in your body, your body produces more melatonin. This is also known as the sleep hormone. Melatonin helps you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly. Do you have trouble sleeping? Then a weighted blanket is definitely worth trying!"
Curious about our best sleep tips for a better night's rest? Check out the article.
Less fears
Dealing with fears is certainly no fun. People with anxiety disorders often suffer from fears that are incomprehensible to others. A trip to the supermarket can already be extremely heavy. Statistics on anxiety disorders indicate that in 2019 more than 400,000 people in the Netherlands were affected by an anxiety disorder.
Getting enough relaxation is difficult when you are plagued by fears. However, a weighted blanket can help you with this. Research from National Taiwan University shows that deep pressure stimulation leads to less anxiety. This technique is the reason why a weighted blanket works so soothingly!
"Do you or does someone in your family suffer from anxiety? Try not to deal with your fears alone, but contact a medical professional for help."
Less stress
Busy day at work? An upcoming exam or another reason for stress? Relax, take it easy, you probably hear that from family or friends when you say you are stressed. It's well-meaning advice, and it's true! Still, it doesn't help much. If you've ever had an argument with your partner or family, you know that nothing works less relaxing than someone telling you to relax.
Reduce your stress level with a weighted blanket! A weighted blanket feels like a nice warm hug. Due to the deep pressure stimulation, the production of the stress hormone cortisol decreases and the production of the hormones melatonin and serotonin increases. You will notice that you become calmer when you lie under a weighted blanket.
Did you know that stress has a huge impact on your sleep? Read now about the effect of stress on your sleep.
Weighted blankets for ADHD, ADD, or autism
"You can probably imagine that calmness and ADHD, ADD, or autism do not exactly go hand in hand. If you have read our blog "What is a weighted blanket", you know that the science behind weighting comes from Dr. Temple Grandin. Temple works as a professor at the University of Colorado and, as a person with autism, has written extensively about what it is like to have autism."
Temple Grandin can also be seen as the brain behind Deep Pressure Stimulation. At the age of 18, she developed a machine that applied pressure to her body. This pressure made a noticeable difference in her calmness. This first work regarding weighting and Deep Pressure Stimulation was the starting point for a whole series of follow-up studies related to weighting and autism.
Weighted blanket for overstimulation
"Weighting leads to a reduction of incoming stimuli and a better processing of stimuli that you have experienced during the day. What do we mean by "stimuli"? By stimuli, we mean light, sound, or smell. Basically, everything we perceive with our senses. A stimulus can sometimes be a bit too much. You have probably experienced a too bright lamp, looking at something for too long and starting to see black circles, or feeling a headache coming on."
This is what we call overstimulation. Overstimulation does not only occur in people with autism or highly sensitive individuals. Everyone can be affected by it! A weighted blanket helps against overstimulation by creating a safe, secure environment. The blanket gives you, in a way, a warm hug from someone who says, "It will be okay, time to lie down and relax."
Do you want to buy a weighted blanket?
A weighted blanket is quite an investment for some people. Therefore, always make sure to choose a blanket that you can try for free. The weighted blankets from Ella Health can always be tried for 30 days. Is it not for you? Then you can simply return it!
Did you know that Ella Health has been working on the development of sustainable products for better physical well-being since 2018? Through our continuous product development, we offer our customers sitting and lying comfort at a competitive price. So quickly check out the weighted blankets that Ella Health has developed.