Insomnia- Study Finds Weighted Blankets Can Cure it
Getting a good night's sleep isn't always
easy, especially in these times of constant worrying stream of news. We
know of many causes for insomnia, from the blue light our screens emit
to bad moods, but what can be done to elevate insomnia and promote
better sleep? One recent study has found at least one possible concrete
solution: sleeping with a weighted blanket.
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the Swedish
researchers tested the effectiveness of weighted blankets in 120 adult
insomnia patients over the course of 4 weeks as part of a randomized
controlled study. They found that 26 of the participants who used
weighted blankets were much more likely to experience a 50% decrease or
more in their insomnia severity than the rest of the control group and
were 20 times more likely to achieve full remission of their sleep
condition. Not only did the patients using weighted blankets attain
better sleep, but they also reported performing better in their daytime
activities and reduced symptoms of fatigue, depression, and anxiety,
which often result from sleep deprivation. An open follow-up on the
study participants revealed that these positive results endured for 12
months.
It isn't the first time weighted blankets
proves to be beneficial for sleep quality. A similar study, conducted in
2015, concluded the use of these blankets had a "positive impact on
sleep, both objectively and subjectively, where a number of
physiological and behavioral measures were improved during weighted
blanket use." Back then, the researchers concluded that weighted
blankets were an effective non-pharmacological tool to improve sleep
quality.
Why do weighted blankets have this effect
on us? "A suggested explanation for the calming and sleep-pro, promoting
effect is the pressure that the chain blanket applies on different
points on the body, stimulating the sensation of touch and the sense of
muscles and joints, similar to acupressure and massage," explained Mats
Alder MD, consulting psychiatrist in the department of clinical
neuroscience at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, and one of the
lead researchers on the study. In other words, the pressure of weighted
blankets puts your autonomic nervous system into “rest” mode, which
reduces anxiety symptoms like quickened heart rate or breathing
This soothing effect may be news to some of
us. Still, as it turns out, weighted blankets have long been known to
the medical community and in use as a form of therapy to treat other
conditions like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), for
example. Another clinical use of weighted blankets was to soothe kids
with autism or behavioral disturbances, according to Cristina Cusin, MD,
an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. "It is
one of the sensory tools commonly used in psychiatric units.
If you’re intrigued by these possible
effects of the weighted blanket and contemplate getting one, you should
know that the previously mentioned 2015 study recommends curling up
under one that’s 10% of your body weight for the best result. We wish
you all calm and restful nights.