Weighted Blankets and Other Items for Sleep and Health

Researchers have begun to affirm the calming effects of a new range of weighted products

A weighted blanket can provide a sense of security and comfort that can ease anxiety and restlessness. Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

Would you like to get a better night’s sleep? Has your child been diagnosed with attention deficit hypersensitivity disorder (ADHD), sensory issues, or autism and you’re looking for a natural way to help with symptoms? Are you looking for a drug-free way to deal with anxiety? Weighted blankets and other weighted items may be the answer to your problem.

What Are Weighted Items?

The whole concept is simple. Weighted blankets, vests, lap pads, and stuffed animals are items that are made with the added weight evenly distributed throughout the entire product. If you have ever been given a weighted vest to wear when you were having an X-ray taken, you may be familiar with the concept.

Some say that using a weighted blanket or other item is like getting a hug without the arms. Weighted products provide the protective feel and security of a hug and keep on giving as long as the person is connecting with the weighted object.

How Do Weighted Items Work?

The idea behind weighted blankets and other items is that the weight provides comfort to the wearer by stimulating the body’s natural calming, comfort, or sleep hormones, such as serotonin and melatonin. The science behind this is called deep touch pressure. When individuals wear a weighted vest, are under a weighted blanket or lap pad, or are holding a weighted stuffed animal, they can experience the benefits of the increased production of these hormones.