The Calming Benefits of Weighted Blankets

Having trouble sleeping?

While some people seem to be able to fall into a restful sleep with little to no effort, others find themselves tossing and turning in the middle of the night wondering why they can't catch any shut-eye. If you relate to the latter group, know that you're not alone, and you might take comfort to learn about a heavy blanket designed specifically for this issue. They're usually called weighted blankets or sometimes gravity blankets.  The simple addition of weight is helping people get the high-quality sleep they’ve been craving.

How Do Weighted Blankets Work?

It's not exactly breaking news that a high-quality blanket can seriously improve your sleep. Having a good blanket wrapped around you can feel wonderful, like being lovingly hugged.  Weighted blankets enhance this experience with an even distribution of weighting material throughout the fabric. The filling ranges from hypoallergenic glass beads to plastic beads, millet, or even rice. The extra weight simulates bodyweight to recreate the experience of someone gently snuggling you in bed, just like when you were little. 

Here is a list of the reported benefits of weighted blankets! 

Increased Melatonin

If you suffer from stress and anxiety, a weighted blanket may just be your ticket to better sleep. Through pressure stimulation, these blankets are reported to help naturally increase your melatonin levels.  Higher levels of melatonin then go on to raise serotonin levels in your nervous system. This powerful combination has been studied and found to produce more restful sleep, improved mental health, and a greater sense of well-being. 

Fall Asleep Faster

There are few things quite as frustrating as lying in bed at night wondering why your body won't fall asleep. Imagine your bed saying to your bed, “don’t fret.” The calming effects of weighted blankets help your body relax in a shorter period of time compared to regular blankets. It is thought that weighted blankets help by facilitating aspects of deep touch pressure stimulation, a kind of therapy used to reduce stress. 

Stay Asleep Longer

Some people tend to move around in bed more than others. There is no shame in that - though too much shifting often is symptomatic of discomfort and restlessness. Weighted blanket to the rescue!  The distributed weight from the blanket gently holds your body still reduced shifting often means far fewer sleep disruptions. Many weighted blankets are also designed to be highly breathable, so despite the extra heft, you won't find yourself having to throw your blankets on and off at night to manage temperature. 

Greater Sense of Calm

Meditation, Yoga, and taking long walks through the park are all great ways to counter the stress induced by the throes of daily life and nurture a greater sense of well-being, in part due to the calming-effects of those activities. But sleep represents about a third of life, why not throw weighted blankets into the mix, too? After all, there's nothing quite as soothing to a stressed mind and body as a warm cup of tea, and then the embrace of your favorite gravity blanket.

What Makes a High-Quality Weighted Blanket? 

Marpac's weighted blanket is made from premium glass beads, plus two layers of microfiber, to keep you sleeping cool. Our blankets also come with a removable super-soft minky cover to keep you nice and warm in the winter. When choosing a weighted blanket, try for one that weighs about 10-12% of your body weight, plus one pound. If you're between weight sizes, we recommend choosing the lighter option. Bring a soothing and grounding sensation to your nighttime routine with a weighted blanket from Marpac.