How many new things the modern market offers us, constantly updating its assortment with various and sometimes unusual products. Not so long ago in Russia, for the first time, they heard about weighted blankets, which for several years in Europe and America have been actively used in medical practice and in everyday life. Already from the name, you can roughly imagine the essence of this product, which is an ordinary blanket with increased weight. But what is it: a fashionable trick or a really effective invention that can benefit our body? MedAboutMe figured out what weighted blankets are and what the purpose of using them is.

Blanket for healthy sleep

Weighted blankets, also called sensory blankets, are various sizes of blankets designed for sleeping or relaxing. Despite the apparent simplicity of the design, interest in them is growing every year. Sensory blankets are especially popular with parents whose children are not like others and see and feel the world around them differently. We are talking about both young patients with cerebral palsy (CP), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or other sensory dysfunctions, as well as children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).  

Such a blanket consists of several dozen pockets filled with special materials for weighting. The role of the weighting agent can mainly be played by a hypoallergenic polymer or buckwheat husk. Today, many manufacturers are experimenting, changing not only the materials used for sewing blankets, but also their fillers. On the modern market, you can find products with various synthetic and vegetable fillers, and even blankets with Himalayan salt used for weighting. Thus, manufacturers are trying to achieve an additional therapeutic effect, but the main action of weighted blankets is aimed at sensory stimulation of our body.

Tactile sensations play a huge role in the life of the body. They provide an inextricable connection with the world around us, and for young children they are the main source of knowledge about the external environment. Sensations are directly related to the needs of the human body and can play the role of a kind of regulators. Tactile sensations are most significant for a child from the moment of his birth and as he grows up. It has been proven that simple touching a child’s body stimulates the development of his brain, endocrine and immune systems. Experiments with laboratory rats have shown that if newborn rat pups are isolated from their mother, they stop growing. Much the same happens with people. Children deprived of maternal care are much more likely to lag behind in development, and this is due, in part, to a lack of sensory stimulation.

Returning to the topic of weighted blankets, it is worth noting that such products can to some extent compensate for the lack of tactile sensations. It is useful not only for children but also for adults. According to the creators and manufacturers of sensory blankets, sleeping under such a product is akin to a strong mother’s embrace, in which a person can feel completely safe and calm.

What are sensory blankets?

As mentioned above, weighted blankets differ in the type of filler and material from which they are sewn. But one of the most important characteristics of such a product is its weight. The weight of the blanket, depending on its size, can vary on average from 5 to 15 kg. The weight of a suitable product is determined by the weight of the person. So, for an adult, the weight of the product is considered optimal, which is approximately 15% of his body weight. When purchasing a sensory blanket for sleeping, a person should first of all focus on their own feelings and comfort.

Also, weighted blankets can have a fixed or adjustable weight:

• The first are products in which the pockets with filler are tightly sewn up and connected to each other. These blankets are more affordable, but not practical enough to use. When buying a product with a fixed weight, a person cannot be sure that he will be comfortable sleeping under it. There are also certain difficulties with the care of such blankets, because washing a 7-15-kilogram product in a machine is impossible, but it is very difficult by hand.
• For quilts with adjustable weights, each pocket is equipped with a zipper that allows you to adjust the amount of filler and washable without it. Using such weighted blankets, a person can change the filler, choosing, for example, a polymer material for the summer, and a natural one (for example, buckwheat) for the winter, which has warming properties. Also, thanks to the adjustable weight, you can distribute the load on the body during sleep , taking into account your own preferences and sensations.  

Having decided to buy a weighted blanket, you need to choose a trusted manufacturer that uses only safe and hypoallergenic materials for sewing and filling products.

Sleep under a weighted blanket and health: what’s the connection?

In America and many European countries, sensory blankets have long been used in:

• psychiatric practice, where they help people with various mental disorders improve their sleep quality and calm down;
• treatment of substance abuse problems, in which sensory blankets help patients cope with withdrawal symptoms more calmly;
• dentistry to reduce stress for patients with anxiety about dental treatment.

The weighted blanket acts on the body with the so-called deep pressure, which affects the proprioceptors and sends the brain certain impulses, increasing the production of hormones serotonin, dopamine and endorphins – all of them are sometimes called “hormones of pleasure.” In other words, the sensory blanket allows the brain to understand where the body is and to provide optimal stress on it during sleep and rest.  

Using a weighted blanket for sleeping allows the person to relax and calm down. And what could be better for your health than a sound sleep? 

According to the developers and manufacturers of such miracle blankets, their use can be effective for autism and cerebral palsy (cerebral palsy), Alzheimer’s and Tourette’s, Rett, Ekbom and Asperger syndromes, schizophrenia, epilepsy and many other diseases. Also, with the help of sensory blankets, you can fight various phobias. Their long-term use brings the level of the hormone cortisol back to normal, has a positive effect on the work of the cardiovascular system, the brain, etc.

• With cerebral palsy, a weighted blanket can reduce spasticity, and with hyperkinesis or atony, it can regulate muscle tone.
• In attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), sleeping under such a blanket can help you relax and calm down, as well as improve concentration.
• For patients diagnosed with autism, the use of a sensory blanket helps to reduce anxiety and normalize the emotional background.

Of course, the sensory blanket is not a panacea for the treatment of various diseases and disorders, but its use in combination with drugs and other non-drug methods increases the effectiveness of therapy.

Are there any contraindications for using sensory blankets?

When planning to buy a weighted blanket, it is best to consult your doctor first. A specialist will help you determine the appropriate weight of the product and exclude the presence of contraindications to its use. The latter include diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. It is also not recommended to use sensory blankets for people with thermoregulatory disorders.

Baby sensory blankets can be used from the age of three. And then when choosing a product, you need to make sure that the child does not have any difficulties during sleep, and he can throw back the blanket on his own at any time.

When choosing a blanket, special attention should be paid to the characteristics of its filler. It must be environmentally friendly and hypoallergenic.

Who makes sensory blankets?

Today, many companies offer tailoring of weighted blankets to order. You can also buy a finished product using an Internet search. But it is best to give preference to trusted manufacturers who can guarantee the quality and safety of their products. The cost of products depends on their size, weight and type of filler.