A weighted blanket is simply a blanket that has extra weight, as the name suggests. Contrary to the usual blankets that are filled with cotton, weighted blankets are filled with other material like beads, pellets made of glass or polyfill, or discs. There is even distribution of the weight and they give a feeling of being safe and comfortable. Let us have a look at some of the health benefits of weighted blankets.

They help with insomnia
Several people suffer from insomnia, and it becomes all the more difficult to live with the condition as people tend to dismiss it easily. Easy sleep is a luxury for people who suffer from insomnia. Weighted blankets help in easing your senses, thereby allowing you to have a blissful sleep. This is done because deep touch pressure stimulation enables the release of chemical serotonin that helps in regulating sleep.

They provide a calming sensation
The pressure of weighted blankets works as per deep touch pressure, which allows you to have a good sleep. Even if you’re just relaxing and using the blanket, sensory information that is calming is sent to the central nervous system. Thus, overall it gives a very calming sensation and is one of the important health benefits of weighted blankets.

They give relief from chronic pain
Massage therapy is one of the recommended treatments for chronic pain that one can receive at home. People prone to chronic pain can start with light massage, then move on to moderate pressure, and then try deep pressure. Once you move to deep pressure levels, you can try weighted blankets as they help in keeping the legs in place and do not let chronic pain conditions overwhelm you during sleep.

They ease anxiety
Weighted blankets can easily help you get rid of stress and anxiety. This is one of the health benefits of weighted blankets. Even if the anxiety is to a larger extent and you’re seeing an occupational therapist, they’ll also recommend that you use a weighted blanket to feel better. However, it is recommended that if you’re seeking medical help for stress and anxiety, you should first consult your doctor about the usage of weighted blanket.

Medical procedures
It has been known that weighted blankets also provide significant support during medical procedures. A study was conducted using weighted blankets on participants who underwent wisdom tooth extraction. It was seen that the group that was given weighted blankets showed lesser signs of anxiety than the group that wasn’t. This was followed up by another experiment where adolescents were given weighted blankets during molar tooth extraction. The results showed that there is less anxiety when a weighted blanket is used. Weighted blankets can also help when the medical procedures have effects like increased heart rate.