Securing a good night’s sleep seems harder than ever nowadays. Some days, you’re too physically or mentally exhausted to catch some time off with closed lids. Other days, it’s a flaccid mattress, pillow or blanket making things extra hard for you. That’s why more and more people are investing their hard-earned money on weighted blankets.
If you’re anything like me, you might be intrigued as to whether or not these miraculous weighted blankets work their magic or not. Before you make a purchase and become a part of the bandwagon, you should be completely aware of what you’re getting into. It might be your topmost priority to find out whether or not it’s even okay to sleep with a weighted blanket on?
Calculating any risks, reading any cautionary tales available online gives you an idea about how things could turn out. Especially if you’re purchasing a kid-sized weight blanket or struggle with any health conditions, becoming aware of the perks and the risks becomes even more necessary. So, let’s find out whether sleeping with a weighted blanket is safe or not?
Insomnia is a sleeping disorder characterized by a chronic lack of sleep over long periods. Living with insomnia is a struggle like no other as it directly affects your lifestyle, day to activities, career trajectory, and personal relationships. During recent years, weighted blankets have been known for providing relief from this particular calamity. Although weighted blankets aren’t solely responsible for “curing” insomnia, they’ve still garnered significantly positive reviews in this particular regard.
Weighted blankets help with sleep through the phenomenon of pressure stimulation. The beads integrated on the inside while manufacturing a weighted blanket, provide a calming sensation of pressure during the night. Thus if you’re someone who sleeps with a weighted blanket during the night, the pressure will significantly relax your nervous systems. The calmer you feel, the less stressed your body is. In short, you’re relaxed enough to enjoy a good night’s sleep much more quickly.
Pressure stimulation isn’t a new concept among practitioners and countless examples can prove that it provides relief from anxiety. This claim can be backed up by years of usage in therapeutic and psychiatric settings. The gentle pressure provided by weighted blankets physically and mentally relieves you from stress. People struggling with GAD find themselves significantly less anxious under the calming embrace of a weighted blanket. Additionally, a weighted blanket mimics the impact of a cozy hug which can amp up serotonin levels during a panic attack.
Sleeping with a weighted blanket can provide a great sense of comfort and security to children diagnosed with Autism and ADHD. Securing a good night’s sleep is comparatively harder for kids that have ADHD, ASD, or Autism. Their weighted blanket after a brief period turns into a comforting safe space that can help them relax under compromised circumstances.
The proprioceptive input provided on the CNS and the swaddling impact of weighted blankets calms down such children within minutes. Additionally, kids with a diagnosis of ADHD or autism sleep significantly better with a weighted blanket for longer hours. Using a weighted blanket during a panicked situation can neutralize their fight or flight response because weighted blankets reduce cortisol levels.
In general, children under the age of 2 shouldn’t sleep under a weighted blanket. This statement stands fitting for any kind of weighted blanket whether it’s adult-sized or child-sized. The fact that children can barely pull off the blanket due to their body mass and lesser strength makes them vulnerable to suffocation. The issue can be even more extreme for children with developmental disabilities and delays.
Sleeping with a weighted blanket puts such kids can be a huge life hazard. Some might not have the ability to vocalize that they’re being suffocated or can’t pull off their weighted blanket. So, avoid this particular factor by consulting their physician before purchasing a weighted blanket for kids in that age bracket.
Additionally, claustrophobia can be another risk factor that gets amped up due to a weighted blanket. Weighted blankets are manufactured to replicate the feeling of a tight embrace thanks to their huge body mass. Thus the feeling of being stuck under the weight of something twice your body weight doesn’t really help if you’re scared of closed spaces.
Claustrophobic individuals may report feeling extra anxious when lying under a weighted blanket. It can be an anxiety-provoking incident that makes them feel trapped in their own bed. This feeling of helplessness cannot be a pleasant experience at all.
Weighted blankets can simply be a no-no if you struggle with certain respiratory disorders. These respiratory issues may include; asthma, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, etc. A weighted blanket that’s around 10-15% of your body weight might impact the way you breathe during the night. Individuals with such ailments need 24/7 access to uncompromised airflow and lying in your bed, under a weighted blanket doesn’t really ease this particular concern.
Sleeping with a weighted blanket in such cases slightly toughens up the job of your lungs as their more weight on the anterior chest wall. Consequently, this resistance can leave you gasping for air during the night which can be fatal, trigger your disorder or disturb your sleep.
To sum up the discourse, these squishy weighted blankets hold countless perks but one mustn’t compromise if their health is at bay. If you’re diagnosed with any of the above disorders, don’t take your chances.
Get in touch with your child’s physician for a suggestion before you buy a weighted blanket for your kid. Hopefully, when you purchase a weighted blanket with the right amount of weight as well as a commendable fabric, you’ll be able to catch a break from sleepless nights once and for all.
Mike is one of the lead editors at Weighted Living and the author of this article. He's become fascinated with weighted products (a bit too much we think) and loves to see all the different ways they can improve our loves. He's written quite a few weighted product guides as well.
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Weighted Living features a range of articles, guides, and product recommendations for everything weighted. We believe anyone and everyone, including yourself, can enhance the way they live by simply adding a bit of weight into their life. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
