Finding peace quickly in the evening, then sleeping soundly and waking up rested – that would be wonderful. Unfortunately, for many, the nights look different. Weighted blankets are supposed to help – also against feelings of anxiety. For whom are they something and who are they of little use?
Small baby animals carried close to the mother’s body. Or furry bundles that snuggle up close to each other when sleeping – in the animal world, physical proximity is often a survival program.
Humans, too, are ultimately nest-squatting mammals and being alone makes them sick. That says Professor Martin Grunwald, who heads the haptic research laboratory at the University of Leipzig. Haptics is the scientific study of the human touch system. “Especially when we’re sleeping, we want to feel as protected as possible,” says Martin Grunwald. And: “The feeling of this protection is probably also conveyed by pressure stimuli.”
This is where weighted blankets – also known as therapy blankets – come into play. Depending on the manufacturer, small beads made of glass or plastic, for example, are incorporated into them. This makes them significantly heavier than normal duvets. Thus, they exert a pressure stimulus on our body. And that can feel really good. “Weighted blankets obviously give many people a feeling of security and not being alone,” says Martin Grunwald.
However, this does not apply to everyone. What is pleasant for some, others cannot tolerate at all. “It’s the same as with touch stimuli in general. Some like to be touched a lot, others less so. The individual range is very large.”
But if you find a weighted blanket to be generally pleasant, it can definitely do you good. According to Martin Grunwald, there are studies on the effect of weighted blankets on those affected by chronic anxiety disorders: “People sleep better and have fewer thoughts of anxiety.”
Autism, ADHD, dementia, depression: weighted blankets are said to be able to help with all of this. And the list goes on. “The ADHD and autism scene has been working with weighted blankets and vests for a long time,” says Martin Grunwald. In principle, however, one should be critical of sweeping promises.
In any case, the sleep medicine specialist Professor Ingo Fietze is more than skeptical when weighted blankets are used to advertise a generally better quality of sleep. “Everyone turns 5 to 25 times during sleep,” says Fietze, who heads the Interdisciplinary Sleep Medicine Center at the Berlin Charité. “Sensitive and bad sleepers will always wake up with a weighted blanket.”
For restful sleep, however, it is important to be able to turn around without waking up. “It must still be possible to rotate the body under the blanket,” says haptics professor Grunwald.
However, you don’t necessarily have to slip under the weighted blanket at night. It is also suitable for afternoon naps. Even those who lie comfortably on the sofa with a book can benefit from the weight on them, says Grunwald. Because the studies on weighted blankets are based on lying underneath for only about ten minutes. “The relaxation is physiologically measurable,” says Grunwald. And it sets in quickly.
If you’re toying with a weighted blanket, you might be wondering: how heavy should it be? They are available in different weight classes – from three kilograms to well over ten. “Especially at night, you should follow the rule that the blanket is no heavier than ten percent of your own body weight,” says laboratory manager Grunwald.
This also applies to children. With regard to the age at which weighted blankets are used at all, parents should definitely pay attention to the manufacturer’s information. In principle, everyone can try out for themselves whether they can cope well with weighted blankets. However, people with joint problems may have problems in certain positions at night.
“Whatever you like is allowed, everyone can determine their own sleeping environment,” says sleep medicine specialist Fietze. It is important to wake up refreshed in the morning. “But my message is: Don’t spend too much money just because of promises.”
Because the blankets often cost more than 100 euros. The health insurance companies usually do not pay for them. The cheaper solution of packing a few blankets on top yourself as a DIY variant makes little sense. “Then it’s difficult, but you sweat your heart out,” warns Martin Grunwald.
Haptics professor Grunwald advises anyone considering buying a weighted blanket to ask manufacturers about test sets or return and exchange options. Because it is only in everyday life that you can see whether such a heavy blanket is actually good for you – or whether the heavy bedding is becoming a burden.
