Can a weighted blanket be too heavy?

In this blog post, we are going to find out whether a weighted blanket is too heavy, what are the benefits of weighted blankets and what other ways of managing anxiety and stress are there.

Can a weighted blanket be too heavy?

A weighted blanket has been designed to weigh about 10% of your body weight to relax you naturally, simulating the feeling of being held in someone’s arms.

Whether you’re taking a nap, watching TV or reading a book,  the compression blanket is not only ideal for a good night’s sleep – it brings calm, comfort and relaxation at any time, day or night.

Before buying a weighted blanket, you need to make sure you know what 10% of your weight is. Also, it is not recommended for children weighing less than 38.5 kg to use a weighted blanket.  

So, can a weighted blanket be too heavy? Yes, it can be if it represents more than 10-13% of your body weight.

Weighted blankets may make it harder for you to get out of the bed, so make sure you choose the right one. 

People also worry if the weighted blankets can make you sore because of their weight?

What exactly are weighted blankets?

I think everyone remembers the wool blankets that weighed a lot and once you wrapped yourself in such a blanket you didn’t move.

You didn’t shy away at all and the sleep was deep and very good.

For some time, the place of blankets has been taken by light feathers that promise a lot of warmth and advantageous prices.

The weighted blanket is a reinvented duvet, brought in the contemporary era using new materials and technologies.

The weighted blanket is not a simple blanket, it should not be bought to be placed on the bed, but to be placed on the shoulders, to be wrapped in it like a hug.

This blanket is an invention made from the current need to remove as much stress as possible.

The weighted blanket has three layers, the outer layers are the coating and in the middle, there is a heavy filling.

There are several types of fillings here.

You can choose between plastic granules and glass granules (hopefully they are recycled materials). The glass ones are heavier.

The outer covers are made of 100% Cotton but there is the possibility of purchasing a cover for a soft feeling and for protection.

The blanket can also be covered with a regular linen cover.

The weighted blankets are made of several layers of material, among which there is a filling with materials that give them weight. Hence the name of weighted blankets or heavy blankets.

Several studies by researchers in the United States have shown that sleep occurs faster the heavier the blanket.

The reason is simple: light touches excite the nervous system, while strong but gentle ones calm it. This works for most people.

The scientific name is “deep pressure touch stimulation” (DPTS). The pressure produced acts as a kind of massage: it relaxes you, eliminating stress and giving you a feeling of comfort.

This is the same as when someone lifts us in their arms, hugs us, or slaps us on the shoulder.

Heavy blankets mould to your body like a warm hug.

The pressure exerted by it works in such a way that it relaxes the nervous system and leads to the production of serotonin, the “hormone of happiness”, which then turns into melatonin, the hormone responsible for regulating circadian rhythms.

The weight of the blanket acts as a deep touch therapy and acts on the receptors throughout the body.

When these receptors are stimulated, the body relaxes and transmits to the brain the feeling of security and comfort. Serotonin production is also increasing at that time.

Several studies have shown the importance of heavy blankets in therapies to cure anxiety in various patients or in hyperactive children, and the results have been a total success, writes Brightside.me.

The weight of the blanket depends on personal preferences and weight, but for adults, a blanket weighing between 5 and 14 kilograms is recommended. However, heavy blankets are not recommended if you suffer from respiratory problems or you have just had surgery.

The effects of a compression blanket

The compression blanket helps you sleep better in the following ways:

• Deep sleep – the pressure created by the blanket mimics the feeling of hugging to stimulate the level of melatonin, which improves the quality of sleep
• Feel calmer – Increases serotonin levels, calms you, sensory processing and finally reduces the activity in the nervous system
• You live happier – Reduces anxiety and stress by bringing the feeling of refreshing mornings and helps increase productivity
• Fall asleep faster – Due to the weight, the blanket helps to relax and makes you feel less stressed and much more relaxed.

Tips for using a compression blanket

• The compression blanket is not recommended for use by children weighing less than 38.5 kg.
• The weight of the blanket must not exceed 10% of the weight of the user’s body.
• Never use a damp blanket; neither near the water.
• In case of permanent damage, make sure that the product is stored properly in accordance with local legislation.

 

Anxiety management

We know that a weighted blanket is great for managing anxiety and creating a feeling of calm, however, there are many other great ways that can help you manage your anxiety. 

Drug treatment – anxiolytics, antidepressants, beta-blockers

Careful! The decision of whether or not to take medication for anxiety (or to change the current medication) should be made only after consulting a psychiatrist.

In short, drug treatment reduces the symptoms of anxiety by altering the activity of some neurotransmitters in the central or peripheral nervous system (beta-blockers). 

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that neuronal cells use to communicate with each other or to coordinate the activity of internal organs and muscles. 

Indeed, clinical studies have shown that in anxiety disorders there are certain dysfunctions in the activity of some neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, norepinephrine or GABA. But drugs cannot strictly correct altered neural circuits in anxiety, but act globally on the entire nervous system. 

For this reason, medications are often accompanied by very varied side effects, somatic or psychological, such as dizziness, lack of energy, nausea, confusion, difficulty concentrating, vision problems, etc.

When used for a long time, medicines can produce an increased tolerance, which means that the doses must be increased in order to achieve the same effect or they can create addictions

. Also, abrupt discontinuation of treatment may induce withdrawal or may cause the recurrence of anxiety symptoms.

For these reasons, drug treatment should be followed under the close supervision of a psychiatrist.

Cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy 

Cognitive-behavioural therapy (often abbreviated as CBT) is perhaps the best-validated form of psychotherapy for anxiety and depression disorders and is often recommended as a ‘standard intervention’ in these types of mental problems. 

In short, cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy involves changing the way of thinking and the way people act in stressful situations.

People with anxiety problems feel overly vulnerable to certain situations (eg public speaking, panic attack, obsession, failure of an exam, presence of a dog, etc.) and are dominated by the need to avoid contact with these things (eg refusal to speak in public, avoidance of physical effort, performing a ritual, absence from the exam, bypassing parks, etc.). 

Moreover, these people are unable to effectively control their anxiety/fear reactions (eg shaking hands, fast heartbeat, restless breathing, profuse sweating, etc.), which often makes them feel completely out of control.

Therefore, cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy aims to correct the factors that cause the appearance of anxiety symptoms or that promote the chronicity of long-term anxiety.

 Through psychotherapy, people learn how to control their anxiety through effective relaxation strategies, learn how to observe their thoughts and behaviours that only fuel their long-term anxiety, and learn how to replace these ineffective thoughts and behaviours with new patterns of thinking and action. 

Conclusions

In this blog post, you read whether a weighted blanket can be too heavy, what are the benefits of weighted blankets and what other ways of managing anxiety and stress are there.

This blanket is an invention made from the current need to remove as much stress as possible.

The weighted blanket has three layers, the outer layers are the coating and in the middle, there is a heavy filling.

There are several types of fillings here. You can choose between plastic granules and glass granules.

In managing anxiety, additionally, to the techniques mentioned above, which can be approached more easily in a specialized therapeutic setting, as well as autonomously, relaxation techniques and guided imagery can be approached.

If you have any questions, comments or recommendations, do not hesitate to contact us!

FAQ on Can a weighted blanket be too heavy

References

Sensorydirect.com

Calmingblankets.co.uk

Healthline.com