NEW THING #45:
WEIGHTED BLANKET
Have you tried one of those heavy weighted blankets that almost kinda hug you when you sleep?
I got one of those from Michal for my birthday & I've been trying it for over a month now.
What's so great about it?
Weighted blankets apply soft pressure (called DPS = Deep Pressure Stimulation) that reduces cortisol (the stress hormone that we want less of) and encourages the production of serotonin (the feel-good hormone that we want more of). Just like hugs or massages.
Initially, heavy blankets were used for children with autism, ADHD, or sensory processing disorder.
But recently, they became super popular as apparently they also lower stress, reduce anxiety, and regulate sleep. All the good stuff!
Do weighted blankets really work?
I think it's very subjective. Everyone is different obviously. But honestly, I don't think you can go really wrong with it. This is how it works for me:
- 1What I could feel right away is this pleasant heaviness that is a very calming experience. The gentle pressure of the weighted blanket is very relaxing for the whole body.
- 2I also believe that since I started using it, I sleep better. I'm a very restless sleeper. I not only toss & turn a lot during the night, but I also do it in a pretty dynamic way which often wakes Michal up. So it seems that the weighted blanket is decreasing a lot of this movement & makes me fall asleep instantly. I don't remember waking up as many times as I used to during the night. So there's that.
- 3But above all, I just like how super cozy it makes me feel. Just like sipping cocoa or putting on warm socks on a cold day. It just feels oh-so-good. So it works for me.
Does it work for everyone? Probably not. But I guess it's worth a try! Especially that there are more and more affordable ones on Amazon.
What do you think? Have you tried it already?