As weighted blankets become more and more popular, you may have found yourself wondering “what is a weighted blanket used for?” If you’ve gotten to snuggle up with one, you may have even experienced it’s enjoyable, relaxing effect. But why does a weighted blanket make you feel calm? What else can it be used for throughout the day and at bedtime? Read on below to learn more!
The Sleep Science Behind Weighted Blankets
The scientific impetus behind weighted blankets is based in the findings from a concept called Deep Pressure Stimulation. This is a method many therapists use in-clinic to calm patients with autism or other sensory processing disorders since firm yet gentle pressure applied to the body signals to the brain to produce serotonin and melatonin. These two hormones, serotonin for calm happy feelings and melatonin for sleepiness, put you in a calm and relaxed state.
In-clinic, a therapist may apply this pressure with their hands, but more recently they have begun utilizing weighted blankets and suggesting patients keep one at home to induce these feelings of calmness.
So the impetus here at Luna, when creating the best weighted blanket, was to provide this effect with the highest-quality materials, design, and construction possible so that more people can reap the weighted blanket benefits. Our founders benefited from weighted blankets as they greatly improved their ability to unwind, calm down, and thus fall asleep quicker into deeper, more restful sleep. That’s exactly what we hope to share with our happy customers so you can get the downtime and rest you deeply deserve!
What Can I Use a Weighted Blanket For?
Since weighted blankets induce that calming sensation, somewhat like a warm and fuzzy hug that stays wrapped around you, there are a variety of practical applications for this comforting, cozy tool. Some examples include:
- Unwinding before bed: Helps calm down after a stressful, busy day.
- Autism symptoms: Mitigating meltdowns, decompression, reducing anxiety or dangerous stimming, managing stress, processing emotions and/or stimuli.
- Sensory processing tool: For the reasons above, lots of our customers keep a weighted blanket on hand to help with overwhelming sensory processing situations.
- PTSD-related issues: Reducing anxiety, managing stress, calms the nervous system, helps slow racing thoughts.
- ADD or ADHD management: Those with ADD or ADHD have found weighted blankets help them relax and can improve focus.
- Student-life stress relief: Helps stressed-out students to find some reprieve and get more rejuvenating rest.
- Insomnia support: Lots of happy customers have mentioned that their Luna weighted blanket helps them fall and stay asleep.
- New parents: Sleep-deprived new parents may love the weighted blanket for quick naps and catching up on higher-quality sleep (when possible!).
Why is a Weighted Blanket Used for Kids?
Here at Luna, we recommend that a weighted blanket is about 10% of the users body weight to provide an effective amount of Deep Pressure Stimulation. That’s why we make a special line of Luna weighted blankets for kids that come in 5, 7, or 10 pounds so your child can also safely experience weighted blanket benefits, too!
Lots of pleased parents have reviewed our Luna blanket with praise for how it has improved their child’s ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Not only does the sleep science totally apply to weighted blankets for kids, but we also offer interesting exciting patterns or calming colors so your child will look forward to snuggling up under their fun, heavy big-kid blanket. Note: it is never safe for infants to use weighted blankets.
Order Today and Enjoy Your Luna Weighted Blanket Benefits
Whether you’re a sleep-deprived, stressed-out parent yourself, or your kids are restless and don’t look forward to bedtime, or you’re simply craving deeper, more restful sleep, you deserve the Luna weighted blanket benefits. Order your Classic Cotton Luna Weighted Blanket today, or check out our other fun fabrics like soft and silky bamboo, or comfy, cozy sherpa! Choose your favorite and let Luna do the rest.
