Learn from others about weighted blankets

I  publish these articles because I agree with most of what is in them,  but not necessarily all of the information.  You will see my added notes  and my own opinions after 6 years of experience working in this field  and nearly 20 years of raising sons on the Autism Spectrum.  

Some of these seem long, especially because of the lay out.  Just keep scrolling down and you will find more.  

Thanks for your patience.

Weighted blankets are surging in popularity thanks to their ability to relieve stress and improve sleep.
May 12, 2018, 1:55 PM MDT / Updated Oct. 18, 2019, 1:39 PM MDT
By Christina Heiser

Thanks  to high stress levels and a brain that wouldn’t shut off, I was in  search of a way to get a better night’s rest (without having to resort  to drugs). I’m a serial tosser-and-turner, and it’s often difficult for  me to fall — and stay — asleep because I’m constantly thinking about  what I have to tackle on my to-do list the next day. It’s a vicious  cycle that leaves me feeling completely drained in the morning.

I  had been seeing weighted blankets pop up in my social feeds over the  past couple of weeks, so I decided to give the trend a try. Weighted  blankets are seeing a surge in popularity lately, with many proponents  saying they have stress-, anxiety- and insomnia-relieving effects. The  hype is palpable: Gravity Blanket racked up more than $4 million on its  Kickstarter campaign in 2017, and according to Pinterest, saves for weighted blankets are up a whopping 259 percent these days.

So  with Rocabi's 15-pound weighted blanket in hand (which is the size the  brand recommends for people who are between 100-150 pounds) I got into  bed, hopeful but nervous. I was worried that the blanket would be  restrictive and too hot (disrupting my already patchy sleep), but I was  able to turn onto my side pretty easily, and it didn’t cause me to  overheat. (Now, I probably won’t use a weighted blanket on 90-degree  nights, but it was totally fine on a 70-degree night.)  When I slipped  under the blanket, I felt like I was wrapped in a cocoon, as if the  blanket were hugging me. (That feeling of being hugged is what Irina  Zhdanova, MD, CEO of ClockCoach, told me was likely responsible for any  calming effects.) Although it was possible for me to shift onto my side,  the blanket was definitely more snug than my regular comforter, and I  felt like it encouraged my body to stay still. Normally, I’m pretty  restless in bed, and the act of moving around makes my mind wander. But,  because I couldn’t physically move as much, I noticed that my thoughts  weren’t racing as much either. I was able to just focus on the present,  and that made it easier to fall asleep. I didn’t wake up once in the  middle of the night, which is very rare for me and after 7 hours of  solid sleep, I felt so refreshed that I didn’t even need to stop for my  iced coffee on the way to office.

But is there really any concrete evidence to support my seemingly better sleep experience? Or was it all in my head?

Weighted  blankets are exactly what they sound like — they’re heavy blankets  (typically 15 pounds or more) filled with a material such as plastic  pellets. The theory is that the deep pressure you feel from being under  all of that weight has a calming effect.

The  deep pressure of the blanket makes you feel like you’re being hugged or  swaddled, says Zhdanova. “Being hugged is a very powerful stimulus,”  she says. “When you’re hugged, you feel more secure.” Plus, weighted  blankets offer mild restraint, says Zhdanova — they make it harder for  you to move and thus harder for you to disturb yourself while you sleep.

For  a study published in the “Journal of the Formosan Medical Association,”  participants undergoing wisdom tooth removal (which the researchers  identified as one of the most stressful medical procedures) wore  weighted blankets during their surgeries. Under the weighted blankets,  the patients showed more activity in the part of the nervous system that  is in control during times of low stress.

One  of the most popular uses for weighted blankets is for treating children  with disorders like autism and ADHD. “It’s absolutely true that some  kids benefit from compression, either from weighted blankets or stretchy  Lycra sleeping bags [which also provide deep pressure],” says Lynelle  Schneeberg, board-certified sleep psychologist and director of the  behavioral sleep program at Connecticut Children's Medical Center. A  study published in “The American Journal of Occupational Therapy” found  that elementary school aged students who wore weighted vests paid attention more and fidgeted less in class.

How to pick the best weighted blanket for you:*

If  you are going to try a weighted a blanket, keep in mind that they can  get pricey. A 20-pound Gravity Blanket, for example, costs $249. (If  you’re crafty, Schneeberg says you can DIY your own version — here’s a  DIY weighted blanket tutorial.)

Committed  to shelling out some cash? Zhdanova recommends sticking with a weighted  blanket on the lighter side. Most experts advise choosing one that’s  roughly 10 percent of your body weight — so if you’re 150 pounds, you  should buy a 15-pound blanket. Zhdanova notes that you shouldn’t use a  weighted blanket if you snore or have sleep apnea, because anything that  is placed on your chest can disrupt your breathing even further.  But  if stress, a mile-long to-do list and funneling caffeine to get through  the day is the battle you're fighting, a weighted blanket may just help  you put those sleepless nights behind you."*

Weighted  blankets are therapeutic items and should be made to the need of the  individual.  20 lbs. is very heavy.  The old rule of thumb was, 10% of  body weight plus one pound.  However, I have found that for some people,  that that is too heavy, for others not heavy enough.  Each person is  different and has different needs.  Don't assume that because a  particular weight worked for one person, that the same will work for  you.  It would be best to talk to someone who has some knowledge about  these, whether a therapist or someone in the field.  This is why I have a  bed in my store, so people can try on different weights while lying  down, to make sure we get the exact right weight.

"Can A Weighted Blanket Speed Athletic Recovery?"

"In  a word: Absolutely. Muscles that have been pushed to the max need time  to rest. But they can’t do that if you’re stressed out or tossing and  turning because of discomfort. A weighted blanket means more restful  sleep, and that translates to relaxed, healing muscles and tissue in the  body. If your HIIT or CrossFit workouts are leaving you sore and  drained the next day, that’s nothing a good recovery supplement and a  weighted blanket can’t fix.

So  it’s far more than just a fad; weighted blankets are a full-blown trend  because—bottom line—they work. If you’re getting out of bed achy, sore,  or grumpy, get yourself a weighted blanket today. Your body will  recover faster, your mind will be sharper, and everyone around you will  thank you.

The market is flush with weighed blankets these days; here are a few of our favorites—some of them are even on sale.

One  of the hottest trends in sleep therapy right now, weighted blankets,  are far more than just a fad. Clinical studies have proven that through  firm, deep pressure stimulation, weighted blankets result in deeper and  more satisfying, more restful sleep. It’s simple, really. The weight of a  heavy blanket provides a cocooning sensation, and the material inside  the blanket produces a stroking, soothing tactile sensation when you  move.

Hospitals  have used weighted blankets as a natural stress reliever for decades.  Studies prove that not only does it calm nerves, the weight sensation  actually increases serotonin and melatonin levels and decreases cortisol  levels in the brain—improving your mood and promoting restful sleep at  the same time. Along with feeling better rested, you wake up feeling  happier and less stressed."

I  need to tell you about my weighted blanket. You’ve probably heard about  these gizmos: cozy blankets stuffed with beads, discs, pellets or,  should you desire something more exotic, the skulls of your enemies—any  object to give your blankie some extra weight, some heft, so the  sensation of wrapping yourself in it is akin to being gripped in a tight  hug, or getting gently suffocated by a cloud.

To  say weighted blankets are trendy is to sell them short. They are a  cultural rage. Weighted blankets are basically Fortnite for stressed-out  parents. I bought one immediately. No, you can’t borrow it.

My  weighted blanket weighs 20 lbs*. There was an option for a  10-pounder—an introductory weighted blankie, if you will—but I figured  I’d skip the appetizer and go straight to the Big Boy.

What  does it feel like? Well, it’s possible that you wake up every morning  and do 20 lb. biceps curls, but 20 lbs. is about the weight of a  good-sized Thanksgiving turkey, or a very sedentary house cat. The  blanket’s weight is distributed evenly, however, so it doesn’t feel like  you’re snuggling a turkey or a cat with Friskies-bingeing issues. It’s  more like a sleeping bag, filled with nickels.

When  does one use a weighted blanket? Anytime one needs it, my friends. A  weighted blanket is said to have genuine benefits: They’re credited with  helping to alleviate anxiety and sleeplessness and have been used in  the treatment of ADHD and autism in adults and children.

As  for me, I am your garden-variety nervous, fidgety, leg-jiggling light  sleeper. When I go to bed, I flip around like a freshly caught bluefish  on the deck of a charter boat. It’s a wonder I’m still married.

So  far, my weighted blanket has been a revelation. I wrap that thing  around me, and I instantly become less squirmy. I’m not saying my mind  stops racing—Did I lock the front door? Will the Knicks ever make the  playoffs again? Am I really going to never be the kind of person who has  a backyard pizza oven?—but it settles me. Turns out, with the luxuriant  weight of a sedentary house cat upon me, I am not just a better sleeper  but a better person.

Now  I’m the Linus of weighted blankets. I need it all the time. Which leads  to some other issues. You can’t really bring a weighted blanket into  work—yet. If people can get treadmill desks, I don’t think a weighted  blanket is such a big deal.

But  what about at a restaurant? Curling up in a booth at Chipotle, burrito  in front of me, my weighted blankie wrapped over my shoulders? Weird?  Says who? Apple sells $250 icicle earrings and can’t keep them on the  shelves. What’s weird anymore?

I’m  waiting for the first airline to announce weighted blankets for  passengers. I guarantee it would be a huge hit. You’d probably have to  carry fewer passengers, but that also seems like a plus. Who wants to  fly with more people?

I  know, I know, we’re becoming a soft culture, consumed with  self-pampering. The turmoil of the outside world is driving an indulgent  economy of high-thread-count sheets, foam rollers, soothing eye masks,  brushed-cotton boxers and relaxation candles. I think I saw an  advertisement on Instagram for travel sweatpants that are 100% made from  the daydreams of unicorns.

We’re  getting squishy to the point of gooey, unrecognizable to prior  generations made from flinty, harder stock. I know I should toughen up.  But I don’t care. I’m under my weighted blankie, and nobody can bother  me here."

Write to Jason Gay at Jason.Gay@wsj.com

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