If you type “weighted blanket” into Google, somewhere around 12,000,000 result will appear. That’s a lot, and far more than you likely have time to sift through. So, in this week’s post, our guest writer Veronica from Tru Hugs has shared some of the great benefits of using weighted blankets.
Research into weight blankets is relatively new
In a world where anyone can say anything online and it can be taken as truth, it becomes even more essential to cite your sources. There isn’t a great deal of research available on weighted blankets because they’re still relatively novel, however this lack of research shouldn’t be a reason to make outlandish claims about the benefits.
I’ve read claims that weighted blankets reduce seizures and improve communication, however, I have yet to find research to fully support these claims. Though of course, there are certain conclusions that can be drawn from anecdotal evidence, such as weighted blankets helping dementia patients by mitigating stress, because the weighted blanket’s ability to attenuate stress has been found in research repeatedly.
So, I thought it was about time to review common weighted blanket benefit claims, and outline whether the science supports the claim or not. Read below to discover some great benefits of using weight blankets.
4 benefits of using weight blankets
1. Eases feelings of anxiety and stress
This is the most well-known benefit of weighted blankets, and one of the most common reasons that people seek them out. Several studies have all found that weighted blankets mitigate anxiety and stress-related symptoms.
Basically, weighted blankets deactivate our fight, flight or freeze response, and increase our rest and digest response. In addition to this physiological response, participants across studies self-report feeling more relaxed and enjoying weighted blankets. Researchers have also found direct links between weighted blankets and the stress response, so when you see claims that weighted blankets can mitigate stress, this is a science-backed claim.
2. Decreases insomnia and improves sleep
Insomnia relief is another popular and well-known benefit of weighted blankets, and the science supports this claim as well. In these studies, the findings suggest that weighted blankets can improve sleep quality, reduce the time it takes to fall asleep, and decrease restlessness throughout the night.
Sleep and anxiety are highly correlated, so it makes sense that weighted blankets can help with both. Think about your mood when you don’t get enough sleep; I know I personally feel much more overwhelmed and irritated. Conversely, think about a time when you’ve worried about something; was it a challenge to fall asleep?
3. Can help to decrease ADHD symptoms
The concept of deep pressure stimulation can act as the overarching term, and tools such as weighted blankets or weighted vests can both fall under this overarching concept. At this time, the majority of research on ADHD and deep pressure stimulation involves weighted vests rather than weighted blankets. Despite these themes within the literature, we can likely extend the findings from weighted vest research to weighted blanket research, due to their similarities.
The findings from weighted vest research can be grouped into three categories: maladaptive behaviors (i.e., off-task activities), adaptive behaviors ( i.e., remaining in seat), and attention. The findings for weighted vest efficacy on mitigating the three categories of symptoms are mixed. While some research has found improvements in attention, adaptive behaviours, and a reduction in maladaptive behaviours when weighted vests are used, others haven’t found that weighted vests do not produce significant improvements in any of the three categories. Therefore, the research does not support weighted vest use for ADHD symptoms reduction.
These results are tricky because some participants did experience benefits, but some did not, and this is likely the case in real-world applications as well. Research with larger sample sizes is needed to clarify the relationship between ADHD and weighted vests.
Until then, it’s important to keep an open mind as to whether weighted blankets or weighted vests can absolutely mitigate symptoms of ADHD, as we’re not quite there yet in understanding the underlying mechanisms of action to make any sort of robust claim.
4. Have shown to help lessen Autism symptoms
Similar to ADHD, the findings on weighted blanket benefits for autism are mixed. However, there are more studies for autism and deep pressure stimulation compared to ADHD. Two case studies found that the application of pressure mitigated maladaptive behaviours associated with autism, and two studies found that deep pressure acted as a positive reinforcer for adaptive behaviours.
We can draw the conclusion that weighted blankets mitigate stress and people tend to like applied pressure (as outlined previously), so it is likely the case that weighted blankets benefit stress-related symptoms with autism. For example, if a person is experiencing anxiety in a social situation, then the application of a weighted blanket will decrease the body’s stress response. The decrease in stress may then cause a reduction in maladaptive behavior and increase in adaptive behavior. Each individual with autism presents with a unique set of symptoms, and thus it is difficult for any research to generalise treatment interventions, and weighted blankets are no different.
There is more research to be done
Weighted blankets do help mitigate stress and this has been replicated across multiple studies. Many symptoms - whether mental health or physical - arise from stress, and it is my hope that what I’ve outlined in this article has gone some way to clarify how weighted blankets can reduce stress (see references at the end of this article for further information).
Since there are many articles that make claims about weighted blankets without the science to back them, I recommend looking for articles that have cited their work, so you know how they came to their conclusions.
Veronica is a mental health professional who is pursuing a doctorate in Clinical Psychology. She has earned her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and provided therapy to children and youth in an underserved community for three years. She has been a part of several studies within the field of psychology, including cognitive psychology, sports psychology, and health psychology. Her current research interests revolve around utilizing Mindfulness meditation techniques and how they can impact the health of individuals in various socio-economic settings. She also has research interests revolving around the implementation of deep pressure touch as a therapeutic intervention.
References
Champagne et al., 2015; Chen et al., 2012; Reynolds et al., 2015; Chen et al., 2016; Kimball et al., 2007; Ackerly et al., 2015; Bryan et al., 2017; Hvolby and Bilenberg, 2010; Rosa et al., 1983; Denny et al., 2018; Zisserman, 1991; McClure & Holtz-Yotz, 1990; McGinnis et al., 2013.