How Does a Weighted Blanket Work?
Weighted blankets work like deep tissue massage. The weight from the blanket helps produce more serotonin in the body. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that tells your body “All is right in the world.” Some of that serotonin becomes melatonin. Melatonin helps trigger the body to relax and go to sleep at night.
What is a Weighted Blanket Used For?
Weighted blankets are a great self-care tool in times of anxiety. They have helped people with Restless Leg Syndrome reduce the sense of activity in their legs. They help people with insomnia get to sleep faster, sleep deeper and stay asleep longer. PTSD customers have reported sleeping with a Weighting Comforts weighted blanket reduced their nightmares.
Can Weighted Blankets Help with Sleep?
Yes, weighted blankets can help people sleep. Weighted blankets can create a sense of being held or swaddled like a baby. This comforting feeling, along with the increase in serotonin and melatonin production, can help improve sleep.
How Do Weighted Blankets Help People with Autism?
People with autism often have poor proprioception. Proprioception refers to the bodies ability to sense where they are in space. So when people with poor proprioception lie down to sleep at night, they often feels a sense of floating. They don’t know where they are. A weighted blanket helps ground people with autism, granting them a sense of where they are in space. When a person feels grounded they are more able to sleep.
Why Do Weighted Blankets Help With Anxiety?
Weighted blankets work like deep tissue massage. The weight from the blanket helps produce more serotonin in the body. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that tells your body, “all is right in the world.” Some of that serotonin becomes melatonin. Melatonin helps trigger the body to relax and go to sleep at night. People who struggle with depression and anxiety tend to have an imbalance in serotonin levels.
The blanket also has a comforting feeling, which helps reduce anxiety.
How Heavy Should A Weighted Blanket Be?
A weighted blanket is a personal use blanket, which means that you get to decide what feels comforting for you. That being said, we suggest purchasing a blanket that is about 10% of your body weight. Some people like more weight and some people like less weight. Our 20-year-old daughter actually hijacked her dad's 25 pound blanket because she LOVES deep touch.
How Much Weight Should Be In A Weighted Lap Pad?
For an adolescent or adult weighing over 50 pounds, a weighted lap pad should be as heavy as it therapeutic. At Weighting Comforts, we make a 5 pound lap pad that is 26” x 21”.
For use with children, please consult your Occupational Therapist.
Our weighted lap pad fits perfectly inside a standard pillow case.
How Big Does a Weighted Blanket Need To Be?
A weighted blanket should be long enough to cover you from chin to toes. It should be wide enough to cover your whole body.
Weighting Comforts blankets are 42” x 74”, except for Cool Max blankets, which are 55” x 74”.
How Do You Clean A Weighted Blanket? Are Weighted Blankets Machine Washable?
Yes! Our weighted blankets can be machine washed in warm or cold water. If you have a top loader, you may want to throw in a few towels to keep the load balanced. Washing directions are on the tag.
The use of beads made of PVC ensures that the blankets are washer and dryer safe.
How Do You Dry A Weighted Blanket?
Weighting Comforts weighted blankets are safe for the dryer; just tumble dry on low.
Our beads can be heated up to 600 degrees.
Who Can Benefit From a Weighted Blanket?
Most people can benefit from using a weighted blanket as a self-care tool.
People who struggle with depression, anxiety, insomnia, PTSD, restless leg syndrome, people with autism, sensory processing disorder, trauma victims, and those with OCD often benefit the most from a weighted blanket.
Women in menopause struggling with sleep due to nightsweats find comfort from our Cool Max blankets.
Are Weighted Blankets Hot?
We are asked this question a lot. Weighting Comforts is proud to offer three different fabric choices to meet your temperature preference.
For the person who gets cold and stays cold, we suggest the Flannel blanket.
For the person who doesn’t struggle with being hot or cold, we suggest our Quilting Fabric.
For the person that has hot flashes or just gets really hot in their sleep, we suggest Cool Max.
Are Weighted Blankets Safe For Toddlers?
We believe Occupational Therapists are the best people to answer that question. At Weighting Comforts, we respect OTs preference for weighted blankets to be custom-made for small children in order to make sure the blanket doesn’t inhibit movement or breathing.
Are Weighted Blankets Good For Depression?
Weighted blankets can be good for depression because they help produce more serotonin in the body. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that tells your body, “all is right in the world.”
Where To Buy Weighted Blankets?
Weighting Comforts weighted blankets are available for purchase online here.
We sell blankets for people weighing 100 pounds and up.
For children's blankets, we suggest Sensa Calm Blankets.
If you're new to weighted blankets, we recommend that you choose the lightest weight available of the style you prefer. If after looking at this size chart you find yourself between two weights, we recommend you choose the lighter of the two.
