Are Weighted Blankets For Everyone?

Weighted blankets have been found to be safe for everyone over the age of four, with certain weighted blankets made for people of different ages. The weighted blanket can help people with anxiety and aid certain conditions including ADHD, ASD and sensory processing disorders.

To give you a better understanding, we have highlighted how weighted blankets can be helpful and safe for both children and adults - and have also provided some safety tips.

How Do They Work?

Weighted blankets are made to create a feeling of the body being hugged gently, making people feel more relaxed by the light pressure applied. The deep touch pressure makes people feel a deep sense of comfort, relaxation, and safety like a baby feels when they are swaddled.

The concept behind the blanket is to replicate the same technique used for babies to help them sleep, swaddling the baby. The light pressure creates a safe sensation, with the blanket weighing between 4 to 30 pounds, ensuring the duration and quality of sleep is improved, lengthen certain stages of the sleep cycle. 

For Children

Weighted blankets can be used by any child above the age of 4. This is because it is best to avoid the risk of suffocation and SIDS in infants and toddlers. From the age of two, it is deemed safe and beneficial as children are fit to untangle themselves, if needed, from the blanket.

The effect of the weighted blank can help a child to feel safe and relax, by echoing the swaddling effect once used when they were a baby. By using the blanket, you are helping the child to sleep for longer, hence it is often used as a way to get your child to sleep.

Lack of sleep can affect a child negatively, and this can affect the parents and other members of the household. To avoid these sleepless nights, weighted blankets are designed to enhance sleep. More specifically, weighted blankets can help calm children with ADHD, autism, and sensory processing disorders.

To ensure your child is safe and guarantee a good night’s sleep, research the different types of blankets and the different sizes there are.

For Adults

The weighted blanket gives anyone who uses it a feeling of relaxation by trigger the release of serotonin and dopamine, two important neurotransmitters responsible for managing your sleep. By creating a sense of comfort, the blanket is able to help any adult suffering from low-quality sleep, sleep-related disorders, such as insomnia, anxiety, and depression.

Safety Tips

• Choose an appropriate size: you want to be able to move freely within the blanket.
• If you have challenges breathing, choose the lightest product
• Choose the filling material with care: neutral fillings allow for the flow of air to occur.
• Get the blanket repaired or replaced if there are any wears or tears.

Sources:

https://www.sleep.org/is-a-weighted-blanket-right-for-you/

https://weightedblanketreport.com/are-weighted-blankets-safe-what-you-need-to-know/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-personal-shopper/2020/04/10/everything-you-need-to-know-before-buying-a-weighted-blanket/

https://thesleepdoctor.com/2019/04/23/thinking-of-using-a-weighted-blanket-heres-what-you-need-to-know/

https://www.healthline.com/health/parenting/best-weighted-blankets-for-kids

https://dreamlandbabyco.com/blogs/news/weighted-sleep-sack-safety-and-how-it-will-help-your-baby-sleep