The Benefits Of Weighted Blankets

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A weighted blanket is something that I have wanted for a while. I had seen a lot online about the benefits of weighted blankets and thought that it would be something that would be good for me.

I’ve suffered from depression and anxiety for a few years now and the lack of sleep, fatigue, and physical aches I get from it still plague me from time to time. So, I am always on the lookout for good well-being/self-care products that will make my life easier or more relaxing. And after the stressful year that we have all had with the pandemic, a bit of relaxation is greatly needed! 

I hinted (very heavily) to my husband that I would like a weighted blanket for my birthday. He was a bit miffed as he didn’t know what they were and why I would even want one. But now that we have one, he loves it too. Sleeping under a normal blanket just doesn’t feel right anymore. 

What is a weighted blanket? 

After talking to friends when I first got my weighted blanket, I realized just how few of them knew what they were and what they were used for.

A weighted blanket looks like a thin quilt that you would put over your duvet. They are usually made from polyester with light polyester padding, divided into squares. Each square is filled with small non-toxic glass beads, spread equally over the entire blanket. The blankets are breathable and durable. 

They come in different weights and sizes to suit adults and children (check the instructions/product details to see what ages it recommends for the blanket.).  

What are the benefits of weighted blankets? 

There are many benefits of weighted blankets, many of them similar to those you would get from deep pressure therapy. The light even weight helps to reduce stress and anxiety and improve sleep. They are also good for ADHD, Autism, restless legs, boosting serotonin/boosting your mood/calming you, and they feel a bit like a hug. As you can see, they have the possibility to solve a few common problems.

If the weighted blanket could benefit me in just one or two of these ways I knew I would be a very happy lady!

Helping improve sleep quality 

The help with improving sleep and the quality of sleep I was getting was the main reason that I wanted a weighted blanket. I’ve not slept properly for a few years, my depression and anxiety have been the main reason for that. I couldn’t remember the last time that I felt like I had slept properly, being tired was just part of everyday life for me.

I’ve tried a lot of things to help me sleep. Pillow sprays/mists and pulse point essential oil roll-ons have helped, as have certain body lotions and bubble baths. But they only helped for a little while. I even tried visualization to help me sleep, but it doesn’t always work, especially if I am really tense.

When my blanket arrived, hubby and I put it over the bed and got underneath it. Instantly we both felt comfortable and relaxed. We only stayed under it for a few minutes as we both knew if we stayed there we would both end up asleep! I was looking forward to going to bed even more than usual. That night, I slept really well, it was amazing! Hubby said that he now knew why I really wanted to get one.

And the benefits of weighted blankets didn’t just end there for me.

Improving restless leg syndrome. 

Restless leg is also something that has bothered me for many years. I have tried all the advice I have been given by my GP and friends, but nothing has really worked for me.

That is until we got the weighted blanket. The extra weight from the blanket on my legs relieves the feeling of having to move my leg because of the weird feeling I get. If the restless leg is particularly bad, I lie on my back and move my foot/feet so that my toes are pointing towards my upper body then relax them. The weighted blanket keeps my feet in that position, for me, this alleviates the restless feeling too.

Reducing Anxiety/stress

Another one of the benefits of weighted blankets for me is that it makes me feel calm and less stressed and anxious. Although I journal before I go to bed, there are times when I still feel anxious or stressed when I am trying to sleep. The pillow sprays etc, do not work very well when I am feeling anxious. As I have said above, I have tried a lot of things to help me sleep at night.

The feeling you get with a weighted blanket over you is very calming, it feels like you are being wrapped up warmly and safely. It doesn’t cure stress and anxiety, but the blanket does a really good job of reducing it enough for me to be able to relax and get to sleep.

Getting your weighted blanket

You can get a weighted blanket from quite a few places now. Etsy and Amazon have some great choices. When looking for a weighted blanket it is important that you get one that is the right weight for you (there is usually weight information in the product information.) and whether it is suitable for an adult or a child. You can also choose the colour and the size of your blanket, we got one that fitted over our double bed so that we could both benefit from it.

The blanket that hubby got for us is the one that he purchased from Amazon.

As you can see there are a lot of benefits of weighted blankets. Our one has certainly improved my life for the better! I think the next time that I suggest getting something like this my hubby won’t question it, he will just go along and buy it as he knows that I know best!

Stay safe everyone.