What We Know About the Weighted Blanket

We all remember being held and cuddled by our parents or grandparents as a young child and how it made our whole bodies relax and send us off into a deep sleep. Or mothers will know all too well that a wrapped baby held against the chest and gentle hugged will soon have them snoring away in dreamland, and giving you a minutes peace.

This sensation of ‘squeezing’ or slight pressure immediately puts you at ease, your body relaxes and there is a weight lifted off your shoulders that feels like an elephant finally decided to get off you.

So, you’re liking what you’re hearing, now you want to know where you can get this feeling. How is it bottled, is it a pill? No, you’re in luck my friend, this is readily available in the cozy format of a blanket. Yours to have at all times, on the couch, in bed or on the veranda on a cool summer night with a large glass of wine.

What is a weighted blanket?

Essentially it is a specially designed blanket that contains a weighted material, something like plastic pellets, discs or beads and used as a pressure-relieving aid giving you a calming effect.

Some may agree with them and some not, each to their own my grandmother used to say, but click here https://www.quora.com/Is-a-weighted-blanket-comfortable-and-does-it-really-help and see the discussion and other users’ opinions. You might be surprised you are not alone in your take on things.

4 Benefits of using a weighted blanket.

• Stress relief. We all have a certain amount of stress in our lives and at some point in the day, this can make it hard to fall asleep at night. But with the weighted blanket and its’ deep pressure touch, this is relieved and you can have a decent much-needed night rest.
• Restless leg syndrome. My husband and I have both experienced this feeling, a tingly sensation that worsens as the night progresses and you end up wide-eyed the whole night and not being able to sleep. This is not the case with these blankets as they are weighted on your legs and you don’t feel the need to constantly move them through the night.
• Supports the elderly. When people get older their cycle of sleep and wake changes, stress and anxiety, even chronic pain can lead to sleepless nights. Gift your grandparents with a weighted blanket and let them sleep in on the weekends.
• Everyone enjoys a hug and a big squash. This is especially true for babies and young children, who enjoy being cocooned and rocked to sleep. To be honest I wouldn’t mind a bit of rocking to sleep either if you asked me.

For more information and advice check out this video on the advantages of using a weighted blanket, it will help you get a better understanding of how it helps, and might be just what you needed to hear to make the decision final on purchasing a blanket.

What to look for in a weighted blanket?

The first and main objective when choosing the right blanket for you is determining the weight, the advice given is to base it on 10% of your current body weight. If you’re between sizes then the recommendation is to size up, unless it’s for a child or an adult with mobility issues.

Then decide if you want a glass or plastic beads. The glass pellets are about the size of a grain of rice and being smaller the overall blanket tends to be thinner. Plastic discs or pellets, on the other hand, are bigger and give a bulkier result, this option comes down to preference.

Keep in mind that due to the size and weight of these blankets ideally, you will need to take them for a commercial wash in the industrial-sized drums, besides they’ll have the space and capacity to ensure it is completely dry. No-one enjoys a sour garment from not being dried thoroughly.

Last but not least when choosing the final size of the blanket the best route is to size down, you want it to cover you from neck to feet and not much leftover. It also mustn’t hang off the sides of the bed as this will just end up sliding off and being a heap on the floor for the night.

For the best products and advice on calming and weighted blankets be sure to do your research and take your time in choosing the correct one first time around. Most have to be purchased online so a bit of homework will save the headache of having to try to return it if it’s too light/heavy.

Here’s to dream-filled and sleep full nights, and a never-ending hug.