Study: Weighted Blankets Help Reduce Insomnia Severity By More Than 50%

Do you have sleep-related problems? A Swedish study showed that weighted blankets helped reduce the severity of insomnia. In addition to this, it also helps relieve fatigue, depression, and anxiety during the day.

London, UK (Business Northeast) – A lot of people have sleep problems! According to the World Sleep Society, sleep problems affect the health and quality of life of nearly half of the world’s population. Many insomniacs need some methods or drugs to fall asleep. However, researchers have found that weighted blankets can help reduce the severity of insomnia in people with insomnia.

Researchers from Sweden recruited 120 adults to participate in the experiment, 68% were women, and 32% were men, with an average age of about 40 years. The researchers asked participants to use weighted blankets or control blankets and analyzed their effect on sleep. The study was published in Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 

These participants all had sleep-related problems and were previously diagnosed with clinical insomnia and co-occurring psychiatric disorders such as depression, affective disorders, etc. In the study, participants were randomly assigned to sleep at home using a weighted blanket or a control blanket for four weeks to assess changes in the severity of their insomnia.

Participants with a weighted blanket tried an 8kg blanket first. However, 10 participants found it too heavy and received a 6kg blanket, while the control group participants used a 1.5kg blanket. After four weeks, the researchers found that nearly 60 percent of the weighted blanket recipients had a 50 percent or more reduction in insomnia severity compared to the control group.

The researchers said that using the weighted blanket resulted in a reduction in the severity of insomnia, improved sleep, and a decrease in daytime sleepiness. On the other hand, weighted blankets also increased participants’ activity levels and reduced daytime fatigue, depression, and anxiety.

In addition, after four weeks of the experiment, participants were free to choose their preferred blanket, with most opting for the heavier blanket, and only one participant discontinued the study because of anxiety while using the blanket. What’s the magic of weighted blankets? The research team speculates that a heavy quilt acts as a kind of deep pressure on the body to stimulate the parasympathetic nerves to relax the body and induce sleepiness.

Many people have this experience: covered with a heavy quilt, blowing the air conditioner, feeling very comfortable, and falling asleep! After experimental verification, sleeping better under a heavy quilt is not just a personal experience but research results supported by data. If you’re prone to insomnia or have trouble sleeping, try swapping out a thin quilt for a heavy quilt, which may help.