Weighted blankets are in; everyone is talking about them. But what’s all the fuss about? In this entry, we are exploring the science behind the weighted blankets and why a thing as simple as a blanket can bring so much relief.
What Are Weighted Blankets?
Weighted blankets are simply blankets designed to weigh more than regular ones on the market. The blankets, where weights have been incorporated into the fabric or placed evenly inside the padding, are conceived to provide added pressure to sleepers.
Are Weighted Blankets Dangerous?
Weighted blankets are completely safe. We do recommend, however, following our guide to choose the right weight for you or your loved one, based on your body weight and refrain from using for children under the age of 1.
Do Weighted Blankets Work?
We have all heard it but no one seems to know how it really works. Weighted blankets get their secret from DTP. Let’s dig together on the science of Deep Touch Pressure or DTP.
Your body interacts with its environment through 8 sensory systems: auditory, visual, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, vestibular, proprioceptive, and interoception. These systems help you make sense of your surroundings, communicate, and more, but most importantly, it sends information to your autonomic nervous system responsible for receiving information from your body and environment and sending signals out to regulate the functions of many of your body’s organs in response to that information. Deep pressure or deep touch pressure therapy (DTP) is firm tactile sensory input that provides proprioceptive (muscle and joint) input to the whole body. When administered to the whole body, deep touch pressure therapy (DTP) has a calming, organizing effect on children and adults alike. This helps slow your heart beat, your breath and drift you softly away to sleep.
Another reason why DTP is beneficial is because it increases serotonin, decreases cortisol levels as well as reduce the activity of the nervous system.
But why take it from us? Doctors found that weighted blankets are effective in promoting calmer nights of sleep, with a reduction of movement.