Top 5 Weighted Blanket Benefits: How to Relax Even When You're Stressed

Sometimes, it can feel impossible not to take your day’s stresses to bed. You replay tough conversations, awkward moments, and find yourself stressing about work and family matters, none of which help you fall asleep any faster.

Sleep deprivation warrants a solution and many people have turned to weighted blankets for help. One of the biggest weighted blanket benefits is that it’s designed to reduce symptoms of insomnia and sleep anxiety. But what does a weighted blanket do, exactly?

A weighted blanket is exactly what it sounds like — a heavy blanket that’s filled with glass or plastic pellets for added heaviness. When the blanket is draped over you, the weight acts as a therapeutic technique known as deep touch pressure stimulation, which promotes an overall sense of relaxation.

Weighted blankets have been used as a form of therapy since the 1970s and gained mainstream traction when more people recognized them as one of several natural sleep aids.

Many weighted blanket reviews might liken the blanket to a hug, and there’s validity to that comparison. The deep touch pressure stimulation is so effective because it mimics the reassuring comfort of being hugged or swaddled, making it easier to get better quality sleep.

But that’s not all. Weighted blanket benefits are numerous and they extend beyond just providing a good night’s rest. Here’s an in-depth look at the five main weighted blanket benefits.

1. Decreases Anxiety

Falling asleep can be difficult when you’re lying awake at night, consumed by racing thoughts. The ability to ease symptoms of anxiety is one of the more well-known weighted blanket benefits.

The blanket’s deep touch pressure stimulation can have a calming effect on the body, which in turn, soothes your mind and reduces symptoms of anxiety. One study found that 60% of participants who were hospitalized with mental health problems experienced a significant reduction in anxiety after using a weighted blanket.

The reason why weighted blankets work to soothe symptoms of anxiety is that the pressure distracts you from your thoughts and coaxes you to focus on the physical sensation instead.

2. Boosts Happy Hormones

You might’ve heard about the power of hugs before and it’s no myth. Just think back to the last time one of your friends or loved ones was in distress. For most of us, the instinctual response is to offer a hug as consolation. This is because hugging can trigger soothing chemicals in our brain.

The weighted blanket benefits in a similar manner. The blanket’s deep touch pressure stimulates a feeling of closeness that can help you feel more relaxed so you can fall asleep faster. Since a weighted blanket is designed to facilitate better sleep, your mood improves, and as a result, your brain releases oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin, allowing you to be happier.

So, next time you need a hug and it’s the middle of the night, grab your weighted blanket for assurance.

3. Eases Pain

Nothing is more frustrating than spending hours trying to get into a comfortable position when all you want to do is sleep. But comfort is far out of reach when you’re experiencing aches and pain throughout your body.

One natural alternative to reaching for painkillers is trying out a weighted blanket to help ease back pain, stiff joints, or sore muscles.

The weighted blanket benefits may not be helpful for everyone with chronic pain, but the advantage is it’s a low-risk option that’s worth a try if nothing else.

Weighted blankets are designed to ease pain by grounding the body with its deep touch pressure and triggering melatonin, which can promote deep sleep. Weighted blankets could also help with muscle soreness because of the gentle compression it provides.

4. Improves Travel Comfort

There’s no better travel companion than a weighted blanket. Getting some shut-eye on a flight can be difficult, especially when you’re crammed in a small space with other people.

The only two things that could offer you even a small semblance of comfort are the in-flight blanket and pillow. But even if you haven’t already heard the horror stories about those blankets and pillows, there’s no denying that they’re more of an accessory than an in-flight essential. This is where a weighted blanket can come in handy.

All the weighted blanket benefits truly have a chance to shine when you’re on a plane. The weight can lull you to sleep and may even soothe your travel anxiety. The best part is, if you’re traveling abroad, the weighted blanket will continue to be useful if you experience jet lag or struggle to fall asleep in a different environment.

5. Reduces Sleep Insomnia

Perhaps you’ve tried almost everything sleep experts have recommended. You’ve limited caffeine intake, avoided screens, and tried journaling. Still, when the night comes around, you can’t bring yourself to go to sleep.

A look into the many weighted blanket benefits wouldn’t be complete without understanding its positive impact on sleep problems.

A 2015 study conducted on 31 adults with chronic insomnia by the Journal of Sleep Medicine & Disorders found that weighted blankets and weighted vests could improve sleep quality.

Researchers tracked participants’ sleep cycles to compare how they slept with and without a weighted blanket. The study concluded that when participants used a weighted blanket, they had a calmer night’s sleep and woke up feeling more refreshed.

The blanket’s deep touch pressure is responsible for fostering a sense of relaxation that might help you fall and stay asleep, assuring that you feel rested in the morning. This is the reason why weighted blankets are considered a natural solution for sleep insomnia.

A weighted blanket alone might not cure you of all your sleep problems, but when combined with healthy sleep habits, the best mattress, and a proper sleep schedule, you’re more likely to reap all the weighted blanket benefits.

Restful sleep is well within your reach, and making the investment doesn’t even have to be a major risk. With Puffy’s sleep trial guarantee, you can try the luxuriously soft Puffy Weighted Blanket for 101 nights to see if you notice an improvement in the quality of your sleep.