Did you ever wake up in shock and sweat from a bad dream? Do you stay awake all night, even when you go to bed to sleep? Are you a kicker in bed? If yes, then there might be something you can do about it. Weighted comforters feel relaxed just by talking about it. These are the fluffiest, most comfortable beddings you might have ever seen. But if you haven’t tried it, we strongly recommend you do.
We’re familiar with snuggling under a comforter to warm ourselves up and feel cozier, but what about weighted comforters? How much do you know about them? This article is designed to lift the lid on weighted blankets, which people call weighted blankets or gravity blankets.
What is a Weighted Comforter?
A weighted comforter is a thick, fluffy, and decorative bedding used as the top covering for your bed. Like a weighted blanket insert, a comforter generally consists of an outer layer sewn together in a gridded stitch pattern to help keep the filler material in place.
But while weighted blankets typically contain glass beads or plastic pellets, comforters are almost always filled with fluffy, airy materials — like cotton, wool, goose-down, or down alternatives — that provide warmth and give the blanket a cloud-like appearance.
How Good Is a Weighted Comforter?
Weighted comforters became noticeably well-known a couple of years ago thanks to the Gravity Blanket on Kickstarter, and users swear by their calming results. That's why therapists have been using weighted comforters for a protracted, longer period than most understand.
Great for children and adults with sensory processing issues, weighted comforters work by using deep contact pressure, which therapists call a form of tactile sensation. But its benefits are not limited to particular people; weighted comforters suit everyone—right here's how.
No More Tossing
Have you ever found yourself on the other end of the bed even though you slept on one side? How did you get there? This is more common than you think. A weighted comforter wraps you up like a cocoon and keeps you in one position. This will improve your sleep quality as there will be less disturbance.
Are You A Kicker?
Has your partner complained about you kicking them in your sleep? Believe them, as you might have RLS—Restless Leg Syndrome. You might not even realize it, but that may be why you experience disturbances while sleeping.
If you have ever experienced this, a weighted comforter can be your nighttime pal! The comforter's weight applies gentle pressure all over your body, keeping you from tossing and moving while sleeping. You can sleep like a baby!
Calms You Down
Sometimes, you just need to be caressed and soothed. Some people suffer from anxiety, stress, or severe mental disorders that keep them up all night. Not all people have other people around them to help and support them. A weighted comforter might make a slight difference by providing a sense of calm.
Feels Safe
Some people are prone to night terrors, others fear the dark, and some just feel anxious laying alone in bed. A weighted comforter is well known for inducing a sense of safety with its swaddling effect when wrapped around like a cocoon. It also slips away tension and stress!
Gives a Big Hug
Ever needed a hug to calm down? We all need that calming comfort when we are down and don’t feel up to anything. Weighted comforters are somewhat similar. They are filled with several kinds of materials, such as micro glass beads, sand, steel beads, pebbles, and grains, that spread a gentle pressure on your body, which feels like a calming hug. These comforters' fluffy and mushy fabric calms your nerves, makes you feel safe, and lets you sleep like a baby!
A Happy Mind
What one is going through, you may never know. People who suffer from mental issues can be up all night. No matter how hard they try, something doesn’t let them sleep. Insomnia is no joke. Imagine not being able to sleep, even when you want so much. It can be horrifying! Weighted comforters cut through this psychological barrier and calm people who suffer from depressive disorder, bipolar, generalized anxiety, and ADHD.
Alleviates Symptoms of Menopause
Many women who go through menopause find that they experience sleep disruptions; they also report anxiety and depression. A weighted blanket can help with all these symptoms — making it easier to get a good night’s sleep.
Helps Manage OCD
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has been linked to low serotonin levels, and as we cited earlier, a weighted blanket can help increase the release of serotonin in the body. The use of a weighted vest during the day can help, but during the night, a weighted blanket is best.
How Does A Weighted Comforter Work?
Weighted comforters act like a hug, a great calming technique known as deep stress stimulation (DPS), to make you feel extra safe and secure. This profound yet gentle touch pressure is applied to your entire body—with hands, comforters, or other equipment—which can loosen up the nervous system.
Temple Grandin first found deep stress therapy while looking for something to ease the tension in children on the autistic spectrum. She wanted to offer something for those patients who didn’t experience confining or limiting, so she discovered a “hugging machine” that carried out gentle pressure on the body, which showed a release of oxytocin in her patients.
This study inspired weighted comforters. They offer a similar effect as the “hug machine” by spreading gentle, light pressure on the body and stimulating the release of oxytocin.
Weighted comforters act as a deep stress remedy, enhancing the dopamine and serotonin in your brain. These are the only “feel good” chemical substances that give you a sense of calm, happiness, and overall health. Because of this, weighted comforters have been used to deal with symptoms of autism, mental disorders, and depression.
Final Thoughts
Weighted comforters offer more than just warmth—they provide deep touch pressure stimulation, which can mimic the feeling of being hugged or swaddled. This gentle pressure has been shown to promote relaxation, improve sleep quality, and alleviate symptoms of anxiety and insomnia.
Initially inspired by therapies for individuals on the autism spectrum, weighted comforters are now widely recognized for their potential to enhance mental well-being by calming the nervous system and promoting the release of feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. As these comforters gain popularity, they continue to prove their value as a therapeutic tool for achieving more profound relaxation and better sleep.
Sources:
Healthline: Weighted Blankets: Benefits, Do They Work, and More
The Indian Express: What is a weighted blanket, and does it actually help?
WebMD: Weighted Blankets for Anxiety and Better Sleep
