A quick guide on what a weighted blanket is, and what it can do for you!
In the past few years, weighted blankets have become more popular for people trying to combat insomnia, those who suffer with insomnia will try anything they can to try and improve their sleep, and weighted blankets have shown to provide some great results.
This quick post will give you a brief breakdown of what a weighted blanket is, what the main potential benefits are, and what the potential downsides are, as different people have different feelings and thoughts on weighted blankets.
What is a weighted blanket?
Simply put, a weighted blanket is identical to any standard blanket, just with added weight to it, this weight can be added by the use of beads or bearings depending on the model, some manufacturers also provide a knitted weighted blanket, which again is heavier due to a thicker yarn being used.
How can a weighted blanket benefit your mental health?
Our sleep can be impacted massively by our own mental health, mood, headspace, and overall well being, so anything that can potentially have a positive impact is definitely worth a try.
The increased pressure upon our body from a weighted blanket in some cases can provide a soothing effect which in turn reduces our anxiety levels, some people don’t like the increased pressure, however, studies show a large number of people feel the increased pressure is an added comfort and security which in turn helps them feel more relaxed.
If the use of a weighted blanket provides a more relaxed state, this can increase the levels of melatonin within the body, melatonin is the hormone that aids our sleep cycle.
What are the downsides to a weighted blanket?
There are very few potential downsides to using a weighted blanket, however, the main issue people have is simply the increased heat, for some people trying to sleep whilst being overly hot can increase the insomnia levels, this is not the case for everyone, some people do prefer a warmer night’s sleep.
Another reported downside people have against weighted blankets is the amount of physical pressure, the increased weight upon your body, some people stated it can make you feel uncomfortable and somewhat claustrophobic, again, this does not apply to everyone, some people prefer to feel that pressure upon them, the added pressure can be a comfort to certain people.
