Weighted blankets have long been used for certain conditions. They may provide advantages for individuals with insomnia and anxiety, but research is scarce.
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Some people count sheep at night. You count the issues. If you regularly end up lying awake at night, watching the ceiling, you might be searching for solutions to enable you get back to sleep. A brand new method that doesn't involve drugs or doctors is becoming increasingly popular: weighted blankets.
These blankets appear like regular blankets, but are crammed with plastic beads or pellets to make them heavier. They normally weigh from 3 kilos to twenty kilos. Companies are marketing them as an answer for insomnia in addition to nighttime restlessness and stress reduction. And persons are buying. Sales of blankets have increased over the past two years.
Use of weight in therapy
The idea of ​​using weight as a sedation strategy has some basis in current clinical practice.
Blankets are thought to work in much the identical way that snuggles do to assist babies feel comfortable and secure so that they go to sleep more quickly. The blanket essentially mimics a comforting hug, theoretically helping to calm and settle the nervous system.
Blanket firms generally recommend that you just buy one which weighs about 10 percent of your body weight, which implies a 15-pound blanket for a 150-pound person.
Reducing anxiety
The query is, do they really work? While some people swear by these blankets, hard evidence is unfortunately lacking. Dr. Cousin says there really aren't any credible scientific studies to back up the claims. “A randomized clinical trial to test blankets would be very difficult,” she says. A blind comparison is unimaginable because people can mechanically tell if a blanket is heavy or not. “And it's unlikely that anyone would sponsor such a study,” she adds.
Should you employ a weighted blanket?
Although there isn't a strong evidence that weighted blankets are literally effective, for many healthy adults, apart from cost, the probabilities of trying one are slim. Most weighted blankets cost a minimum of $100 and sometimes greater than $200.
But Dr. Kisson says there are some individuals who shouldn't use weighted blankets or should check with their doctors before doing so, including those that
Also, for those who're curious about trying a weighted blanket for a baby, check along with your doctor or trained therapist.
If you select to try a weighted blanket, be realistic about your expectations and know that results may vary.
“Blankets can be helpful for panic attacks or insomnia,” says Dr. Cousins. But just as swaddling works for some babies and never others, she says a weighted blanket won't be a miracle cure for everybody.
Is there a greater option?
Also, be mindful that there could also be higher, evidence-based solutions to your sleep struggles, especially in relation to chronic insomnia, defined as a minimum of three nights per week for 3 months. It is finished as difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. or more.
“For insomnia, the first-line recommendation now is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and a specific form of relaxation techniques, exercises that are supported by evidence from controlled trials,” says Dr. Cosen.
CBT will likely be administered over a four- to 10-week program that helps you make lasting changes in your sleep habits, including limiting the time you spend in bed. This helps train you to avoid staying in bed unless you're asleep. CBT could be difficult and typically works best when performed by an expert.