Weighted Blankets: Do They Help?

Weighted blankets – they’re all the rage right now, but are they as wonderful as they’re made out to be? With a price tag of $100 or more, it can be difficult to take the leap and give one a try. Fortunately for me, my parents gifted me a 15-lb blanket (this is one to be exact) for my birthday in January, so I could give it a try. In the two-and-half months I’ve had it, it’s been nothing less than amazing!

First, I would like to say that this blanket feels a lot heavier carrying it than it does while it’s on top of you. I was worried when I was struggling to get it out of its box and on to the couch with me that I wouldn’t like how heavy it is. They say to buy a weighted blanket that is 10-15% of your body weight, so 15lbs is right on the upper end of the recommendation for me. Once I got I on the couch and put the blanket across my lap, my fears of the weight were gone. It surprisingly doesn’t feel as heavy as I thought it would! I sat on the couch with it on my lap for an hour or so and I didn’t see a huge difference in my anxiety level or mood, but once I used it to sleep with, I feel in love!

While on the couch, I decided to take a nap (which I rarely do) with my new weighted blanket. I needed to test it out for the real reason I wanted it so badly. Due to my PTSD, I have a very difficult time with falling asleep. I have a lot of anxiety that surrounds bedtime and I had been taking hydroxyzine (prescribed by my doctor) every night to help me go to sleep. I really prefer to not take medication if I don’t have to, so I was really hoping this blanket could help. I don’t usually nap because I have a hard time falling asleep in the middle of the day even if I am tired. With the weighted blanket, I was able to fall asleep quickly and I take a heavenly nap. I woke up so refreshed and excited to try it later that night! When bedtime rolled around, I skipped taking my hydroxyzine to see how wonderful this blanket truly is. I’m happy to report that I fell asleep fairly easy (not as fast as I do with hydroxyzine, but much better than nothing at all) and I stayed asleep. I woke up feeling refreshed and ready for the day and that says a lot because I am not a morning person. I was very optimistic that this blanket could be the ticket to getting off my nightly medication, but I also was concerned that the first night could be only a fluke.

Well, I’ve used that blanket most nights to go to sleep and I haven’t taken hydroxyzine since I’ve gotten the blanket! So, I’m a big believer in the weighted blankets and I’m actually considering getting one for my daughter since she likes to steal mine. I’ve also found that the blanket can help with daytime anxiety, but it’s not always a guaranteed fix during the day. Regardless, the nighttime benefits make the steep price tag worth it for me. Keep in mind that not every person is the same and what works for me might not work for you. All I know though is this blanket gives me the most wonderful sleep and I wouldn’t trade it for the world!