Shelter from the storm, as some users tend to call it, a gravity blanket offers great comfort in troubled times. It’s no wonder its popularity has increased enormously in the past several years as many of us find themselves in times of trouble.
Stress, anxiety, insomnia, depression. Either it’s you or at least one person from your close circle, the number of people suffering from these disorders increases daily. Luckily, we have a great solution for easing the symptoms they leave on us. A blanket that weighs much more than the usual one. Specifically, 8-10% of your body weight. It’s a great concept that has a very beneficial effect on the nervous system, science says.
What is a Gravity Blanket?
A gravity blanket is made to weigh more than a usual one. This is achieved by filling the fabric with very small plastic or glass-made microbeads. They are evenly spread on the blanket’s surface to provide weight-coverage for the whole body.
Today’s sophisticated weighted blankets, manufactured for mainstream use, come in different models, sizes, weight and fabric. Therefore, you can choose what best suits you.
It’s very important to choose the perfect weight for your gravity blanket. Your gravity blanket should weight 8-10% of your body weight. If the weight is not right for your body, in most cases too heavy, it may not provide the desired effect.
The Concept of the Gravity Blanket
It sure is common sense to assume that a weighted blanket can calm a person that is in a bad psychological state. Given the fact that the comfort and the calmness a hug provides is so universal for humankind. This is exactly what a gravity blanket aims for, to give you a comforting hug.
The comforting hug that gives a “grounding” feeling helps people fall asleep faster. Moreover, if you are able to fall in deep sleep it means that your nervousness and anxiety are chased away.
The concept was used back at the beginning of the 20th century. Gravity blankets were used in acute psychiatry to calm down children that suffer from severe disorders like autism, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD. Doctors found out that a gravity blanket is a good tool for calming down the troubled patients. Children with those kinds of disorders might be very sensitive to touching other human’s body. Therefore, they would use them as an alternative for a calming hug.
The Science Behind the Gravity Blanket
It’s the deep pressure touch (DPT) stimulation that makes the blanket so powerful. It is just enough pressure to trigger the nerve endings under our skin. The stimulation of those nerve endings results in consecutive actions in the nervous system.
Once the weight is applied onto your body it acts like a switch – the sympathetic system shuts down and the parasympathetic nervous system takes over the control. The parasympathetic system puts the body in the state of rest and digest. This results in releasing of the hormones:
- Serotonin – the natural mood stabilizer. Normal levels of serotonin in the brain regulate anxiety, happiness and depression.
- Dopamine – a chemical messenger that regulates memory, motivation, attention and pleasure.
- Oxytocin – a hormone that allows the body to adapt to changing emotional situations.
- Melatonin – a hormone that promotes sleep.
Who Can Benefit from a Gravity Blanket
We all experience stressful situations in life. Therefore, anyone who can afford one should use a gravity blanket to calm the stressed body. It’s a natural and holistic approach to a common problem.
A gravity blanket is highly recommended for people that suffer from:
- Prolonged stress and have a stressful lifestyle
- Anxiety disorder and panic attacks
- Depression
- Insomnia or disrupted night sleep
So, Is the Weighted Blanket Worth Buying?
Who would’ve thought that such a simple hack can have such powerful effects? Well, it’s just the idea that makes it simple these days, not the manufacturing. Advanced technologies and modern solutions have created a so-to-say perfect weighted blanket and that resulted in fairly high prices. But is a weighted blanket still worth buying? You hold the answer.
We say, everything that offers even the slightest chance to improve your life quality and resolve health issues is worth the cost. Plus, it doesn’t have any harmful side effects. If it doesn’t help you it won’t harm you as well.
