Hey, did you just buy a weighted blanket to improve your sleep quality and now want to learn about weighted blanket pros and cons? Then surely this article covers it right.
Weighted Blankets are becoming increasingly popular since they help relieve stress after the daily grind of life. They are known to reduce anxiety levels and benefit people suffering from autism, insomnia, and other sleep-related issues.
Now, let’s explore these weighted blanket pros and cons. But before diving into it, let’s have a brief overview of how a weighted blanket works.
How Does a Weighted Blanket Work?
The weighted blankets are basically based on deep pressure therapy DPS. It promotes the production of hormones like:
- Serotonin which is known to elevate mood
- Melatonin- a sleep hormone that helps to increase and regulate sleep quality
- Cortisol– a hormone that reduces anxiety and stress level
In this way, a weighted blanket relaxes the peripheral and central nervous systems. Thus, it helps the body to catch better naps.
Weighted Blanket Pros and Cons
Now that we are up with how a weighted blanket works, leading to a healthier lifestyle and better sleep, let’s discuss some of the known weighted blanket Pros and Cons.
Pros of Weighted Blankets
Weighted blankets come with a ton of benefits rolled up in them. From reducing stress to increasing sleep quality and decreasing pain intensity, a weighted blanket assists you in a number of ways. A few known benefits of using deep pressure weighted Blankets are:
1. Reduces Stress and Anxiety Level
One of the primary reasons people use weighted blankets is that it helps them cope with anxiety issues. Actually, deep pressure therapy reduces autonomic arousal, thus helping to deal with physical symptoms of anxiety like an accelerated heartbeat, sweating, etc.
Moreover, it stimulates the production of cortisol hormone, which helps to reduce stress and anxiety levels. Similarly, deep pressure stimulation calms the body’s nerves, thus helping release all the built-in pressure and stress.
2. Improve Sleep Quality
Weighted blankets are known to improve sleep quality and quantity by increasing the production of sleep hormones. That is why doctors recommend people suffering from insomnia to use weighted blankets. It stimulates the release of melatonin, which helps users catch a beauty sleep within no time.
Moreover, it helps to cope with and treat other sleeping disorders too. The extra warmth and comfy environment allow the sleepers to enjoy the chilly nights.
3. Helps Deal with Autism Spectrum
When people suffering from autism spectrum disorder have difficulty sleeping, weighted Blankets benefit them a lot. A study in 2017 claims that deep pressure stimulation by weighted blanket helps stimulate sleep rhythm in autistic people.
Similarly, another study was done on 85 people suffering from autism spectrum disorder. All of them used weighted blankets in different ways. The results claim that 59% of the participants enjoyed a better quality of sleep, and 45.8% of the people claimed that these therapeutic blankets benefited them in coping with daily routine stress and anxiety.
4. People With ADHD
Surprisingly, weighted blankets improve the performance of people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It is seen that the therapeutic vests help to increase their focus and reduce the intensity of hyperactive movements. A study done in 2014 claims promising results and improvement in people using weighted blankets, such as not leaving the settings and doing the tasks with utmost attention and dedication.
Similarly, a recent study was done in 2021 on 24 children. The children used blankets for 16 weeks, and the results seen were:
- Better sleeping rhythm and quantity
- Improve focus
- Reduction in frustration and anxiety level
5. Osteoarthritis
Although no research is available, studies suggest that deep pressure therapy can help reduce osteoarthritis pain and inflammation.
Massage therapy reduces joint inflammation and swelling and decreases pain intensity.
So, there are chances that a weighted blanket will also have some positive effect on osteoarthritis.
6. Reduces Pain Intensity
Some researchers claim that weighted blankets help in reducing the intensity of chronic pain. It helps to relax the tensed muscles. A study was done in 2021 on 94 participants. They used weighted blankets for one week and reported significant improvement in anxiety levels and pain intensity.
All in all, weighted blankets are a great way of improving the human body’s well-being. They help to keep the body relaxed, treat anxiety issues, and overcome sleeping disorders like insomnia.
Cons of Weighted Blankets
While there are numerous promising pros of using weighted blankets, it also comes with a few pitfalls. A few cons are:
1. Comparatively Expensive
One of the cons of these therapeutic blankets is that they are far more expensive than regular blankets. However, since they offer much more comfort, the investment is worth it.
2. Not Good for People with Sleep Apnea
These blankets are not a great option for people suffering from sleep apnea. It adds pressure, thus narrowing the airways. Thus, it becomes even more difficult for them to breathe at night. Similarly, people with claustrophobia, asthma or other breathing difficulties should not use these blankets.
3. Takes Time to Adjust
Lastly, adjusting to the new sleeping vest might take some time. Moreover, you can’t use the heavy blanket daily.
So, these were some general weighted blanket pros and cons.
Download A Sleep Tracker
If you are buying a weighted blanket to improve your sleep quality, it is equally important to download a sleep tracker too. One of the best sleep trackers is ShutEye®. It analyzes your sleep the entire night and generates a detailed report the next morning.
The Final Thought
Weighted blankets are a great way to have deep pressure stimulation at home. They offer various benefits to the human body by regulating hormone production. However, it is important to find a perfect-sized therapeutic blanket.
Now that you are well up with weighted blanket pros and cons and how it works, why not buy one?
