The moment you can finally curl up in bed and wrap yourself in your warm duvet is many people’s favorite part of the day.
Relaxation and comfort are usually what we crave after an especially stressful day, particularly if you suffer from stress and anxiety. If this sounds like you, considering adding a weighted blanket to your bedspread could solve several problems.
Weighted blankets are filled with certain materials which add weight. This added weight helps with decreasing stress levels and creating a more peaceful night’s sleep.
We have pinpointed the main ways a weighted blanket could benefit you.
Relieves Anxiety
Known as our natural response to stress, anxiety disorders are a common form of mental illness, with 1 in 5 people suffering from a type of anxiety. There are lots of ways to manage concerns you have related to anxiety, including therapy, breathing exercises and meditation.
Dealing with anxiety can often leave us feeling like we need a hug, so this is where investing in a weighted blanket could benefit not only your sleep but your daily life as well. The weight and warmth of the blanket are a proven form of sensory therapy, often used in hospitals and occupational therapy.
Studies have found that weighted blankets lower blood pressure and lower pulse rates, which can also help with PTSD. With the use of deep pressure stimulation, the blanket relieves our autonomic nervous system, giving our bodies rest and soothing anxiety symptoms.
Improves Sleep Quality
Deep touch pressure is one of the biggest benefits of weighted blankets since it causes a calming and relaxing effect, raising serotonin levels in our bodies. At night, serotonin, a chemical in the body, goes through changes to produce melatonin, a hormone that influences sleep.
A weighted blanket can help you sleep better at night by producing feelings of security and safety, a typical issue with insomniacs and people who suffer from other sleeping disorders. The security of weighted blankets eases any feelings of difficulty when falling asleep, similar to the feeling of a hug.
It releases oxytocin – a hormone in the body that creates a warm feeling of relaxation. 4 out of 5 people have said they experienced a less disturbed sleep when using their weighted blanket in bed, and even awoke feeling more refreshed the next day. If this sounds good to you, it’s well worth checking out a premium weighted blanket which helps with disorders that affect sleep
Disorders such as autism, restless leg syndrome and ADHD all have a huge effect on getting a good night’s sleep. The pressure from weighted blankets enhances the ability to focus and helps users to manage emotions.
The physical stimulation from the blanket supports a calming impact after outbreaks of emotion and stress. Experiencing discomfort with pains related to arthritis, fibromyalgia, or general muscle aches causes distress at night, and a weighted blanket will help prevent symptom flares and reduce tension in the body due to its soft pressure.
Overall, those who suffer from sleeping disorders, anxiety, and general pain along with other illnesses can find relief in the use of a weighted blanket.
Call ASC Today
Today, sleep disorders are increasingly recognized as having serious health consequences. Yet, there is also an increase in the number of sleep-disorder cases that general physicians — well-meaning and devoted to their patients — attempt to evaluate and treat on their own.
The fact is, there are good reasons why sleep medicine is classified as a distinct specialty and why your sleep difficulties should be managed by a physician specializing in sleep medicine.
With more than 84 different sleep disorders, reaching an accurate diagnosis can be challenging without a sleep physician’s additional training and expertise.
In addition, symptoms can overlap, as can underlying causes and contributing factors. Without the informed care of a specialist, treatment can be inappropriate, ineffective or even nonexistent.As an example, people who seek medical care for sleep apnea usually go without treatment for an average of seven years!
Trust your sleep problems to a sleep expert.
At Alaska Sleep Clinic, our staff has the training, skill and expertise necessary to diagnose and treat your sleep disorder. With training and seasoned know-how, our staff can handle the subtle science of diagnosis and treatment of these complex, and sometimes elusive problems. Our compassion and dedication facilitate the continuity and quality of care that you deserve and the restful, restorative sleep you need.
