Surprising Conditions Weighted Blanket Therapy Treats

Improves Insomnia

Bedtime is one of the most popular times for using weighted blankets. The blankets are especially useful for those who struggle to fall asleep and those who wake up numerous times throughout the night. Again, the gentle pressure that these blankets distribute throughout the body can help lull patients to sleep. Anecdotal evidence suggests that patients who use weighted blankets for sleeping wake up fewer times throughout the night than they would have without the blanket. When selecting a weighted blanket for sleeping purposes, it is very important to choose one of the appropriate weight. Generally, doctors advise that patients start with one that weighs approximately ten percent of the individual's body weight. If this feels too heavy or too light, patients can experiment with other blanket weights to determine what feels most comfortable. For patients wishing to use a lighter blanket that still improves insomnia, some companies sell weighted blankets that weigh as little as four pounds.

Explore how a weighted blanket can help with this next condition.

Relieves Fibromyalgia Pain

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition that can affect the entire body. Symptoms typically include widespread pain in muscles and joints, fatigue, morning stiffness, anxiety, and depression. Patients with fibromyalgia can frequently have tender points in many places on their body. Tender points are painful areas near joints, although they are not on the joints themselves. These points are often found on the neck, chest, back, elbows, and knees. For patients living with this condition, a weighted blanket often relieves fibromyalgia pain through the gentle pressure it provides. The blanket promotes relaxation throughout the body and encourages the relaxation of nerve endings that cause pain for these patients. It can also provide a sense of protection, safety, and warmth, calming an overly stimulated nervous system and releasing pain-relieving hormones such as dopamine and serotonin.

Keep reading to discover how a weighted blanket can help with this disorder.