Contents:
- Medical Video: I Tried a $150 Weighted Blanket for Anxiety & Insomnia | Worth The $$$?
- What are the benefits of sleeping with thick blankets for mental health?
- What are the criteria for thick blankets that are correct?
- Still in debate
Medical Video: I Tried a $150 Weighted Blanket for Anxiety & Insomnia | Worth The $$$?
Thick blankets not only function to warm the body because of the cold night air or air conditioning in your room. Many therapists use this blanket to treat anxiety, insomnia, or therapy for autistic children.
What are the benefits of sleeping with thick blankets for mental health?
Research conducted by the 2008 Occupational Teraphy of Mental Health published in the Journal of Australian Phsychiatry found that thick and heavy blankets can reduce stress and reduce anxiety in patients. A thick and heavy blanket will give you something that doesn't exist when you use an ordinary blanket, what is that? Deep pressure touch stimulation or DPTS.
Deep pressure touch stimulation this is like getting a massage and pressure given to the body. Touch with deep pressure is a type of pressure such as holding, swiping, caressing an animal, or like hugging a baby. This type of pressure is claimed to be relaxing and calm.
This thick and heavy blanket is even considered the same as a warm hug. The pressure given can also help make the nervous system relax. This method is truly safe and effective and is considered a non-drug therapy that is effective enough to be able to make sleep and relax naturally.
Psychiatric, trauma, geriatric units, and pediatric hospital units also use thick blankets to calm patients who have anxiety problems to get them to sleep well. In the same way as carrying a baby, the weight and pressure of this thick blanket can also make adults feel comfortable and relieved.
When pressure is slowly applied to the body, this can encourage the production of serotonin in the brain which functions as a neurotransmitter that regulates several brain functions including mood and sleep.
When serotonin naturally turns into melatonin, the body gets a signal to rest. The weight of these blankets is used as touch therapy and acts as a pressure touch receptor located throughout the body. When the receptor is stimulated, the body will relax and feel more secure.
What are the criteria for thick blankets that are correct?
The actual weight of the blanket depends on the user's condition, for adults it is usually needed blankets weighing 5 to 10 percent of their body weight, while the recommendations for children are 10 percent of their body weight plus 0.5 kg. But it would be better if you seek recommendations from doctors or therapists.
You can also buy blankets that are specifically for this therapy. For some people with respiratory, circulatory disorders, body temperature regulation problems, and in the postoperative healing period, this therapy is not recommended because it will cause health problems.
Still in debate
Although many therapies use this blanket to overcome anxiety and insomnia. The use of thick and heavy blankets is still under debate. Thick and heavy blankets are considered dangerous if used for children and adolescents because of their different weight with ordinary blankets. Further research and scientific testing is needed to find out the benefits of thick blankets used for this therapy.
