A weighted blanket contains glass beads, plastic pellets, ball bearings, or other materials that add to the blanket’s overall weight. They have increased in popularity in recent years, and many companies claim that the extra pressure helps to reduce anxiety and stimulates sleep.
Many people with anxiety and/or depression find themselves trapped in a vicious cycle. Anxiety and depression can negatively affect sleep, and the lack of sleep worsens anxiety and depression. So addressing the underlying issue with sleep is key to helping with these conditions. However, the evidence for weighted blankets is sparse, given the difficulty of conducting randomised control trials for their use.
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A systematic review in 2020 published in theAmerican Journal Of Occupational Therapyfound that using a weighted blanket improved people’s ability to fall asleep, to sleep through the whole night, and to relax during the day. Using a weighted blanket improved the morning and evening daily routine, including preparing to sleep and waking up in the morning. However, the authors concluded that while weighted blankets may be an appropriate therapeutic tool in reducing anxiety, there is not enough evidence to suggest they are helpful with insomnia.
If you do opt for one, it is typically recommended that you buy one that weighs approximately 10 per cent of your body weight. You want to be careful not to get one that feels too hot, as sleeping in a cooler environment has been shown to help with insomnia. It’s also worth thinking more broadly about the environmental factors impacting your sleep, such as darkness, the influence of screens, and background noise.
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Asked by: Paul Moss, Exmouth
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