A weighted blanket is an especially heavy blanket that is used to aid sleep and reduce anxiety. Initially, weighted blankets were most commonly used as therapeutic tools to assist individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), dementia, and mental health conditions. They have subsequently become a mass-market product. Scientific evidence does not support their use as an aid for insomnia, and they can be dangerous, particularly for children.
Weighted blankets are used in occupational therapy in an attempt to help individuals improve their emotional and physical regulation. [1] Specifically, weighted blankets are used in a type of occupational therapy called "sensory integration therapy", which helps people with autism or other mental conditions focus on sensory experiences. Weighted blankets are just one of the many tools occupational therapists use to provide "deep-touch pressure", a form of physical stimulation that, according to experts, may help individuals regulate their emotions and behavior. [2]
The main concern when considering a weighted blanket is to choose the appropriate weight because if the blanket is too light, it will just feel like a normal duvet; if instead it is too heavy, it may feel uncomfortable. A weighted blanket should be about 10% of the person's body weight: for about 97% of people this feels right.[ citation needed ] The blanket should also cover the body from the toes to the chin. After following the aforementioned weight recommendation, if the weight of the blanket doesn't feel right, it is more likely that the blanket is too heavy than too light.
Although early research indicates that weighted blankets may be an appropriate therapeutic tool for reducing anxiety, reviews in current medical literature note that research in this area is sparse. [3]
Other studies have indicated that weighted blankets may reduce anxiety and, as a result, allow the user to fall asleep more quickly. However, in relation to insomnia, medical experts note that more research is needed, as there is not yet enough evidence to prove that the products reduce symptoms. Additionally, there is a significant placebo effect, which will need to be accounted for in future studies. [4]
Some of the earliest research into the form of deep-touch pressure that weighted blankets use took place in 1992, when an American scientist with autism, Temple Grandin, invented the Hug Machine and used it to study the calming effects of deep-touch pressure in patients with autistic disorder. [5] Following these principles, Keith Zivalich produced the first version of a weighted blanket in 1997, when he created a bean-filled comforter for children called "The Magic Blanket." He made his first sale in December 1998. [6]
The first official study of weighted blankets as an avenue for deep-touch pressure occurred shortly after, in 1999. Tina Champagne, an occupational therapist, began researching them as a coping device for individuals in the broader special-needs community. Weighted blankets continued to increase in popularity in the special needs community, and several companies began creating product lines throughout the early- and mid-2000s. [7]
However, it wasn't until 2017 that weighted blankets secured mainstream popularity, when a Canadian company the science news site Futurism launched a Kickstarter campaign for a product called the Gravity Blanket and raised almost $5 million. The company sold more than 128,000 units by putting a new spin on the product and marketing it to the public as a sleep aid and stress reducer." [8] [9] [10] In Canada, a company called Gravid struck a chord with its cooling weighted blankets and was featured on The National with Dianne Buckner. [11] [12]
In 2018, Time magazine named "blankets that ease anxiety" one of the best inventions of 2018 and cited the Gravity Blanket specifically. They noted that although Futurism didn't invent the weighted blanket, the company perfected the art of marketing it to the masses. [13] Along these same lines, The Atlantic linked the Gravity Blanket's success, and the subsequent rise in weighted blankets, to a new way of describing and marketing their uses, describing the Gravity Blanket as a story about "the promise of life-changing comfort to the meditation-app-using, Instagram-shopping masses." [7] The New Yorker linked the Gravity Blanket's popularity to both good timing and marketing, arguing that the previous years saw a marked rise in feelings of stress and worry in the United States and that it's "not coincidental that Gravity’s Kickstarter success arrived deep into a period when many Americans were beginning their e-mails with reflexive, panicked condolences about the news." [14]
Retail stores around the world began selling variations of the blankets throughout 2018 and, by the end of the year, weighted blankets were on practically every gift guide on the internet. [8]
Since securing popularity, medical doctors have noted that, while some findings have been intriguing, more research is needed to verify the efficacy of the products as sleep aids and stress reducers. [4]
A common type of weighted blanket is made out of a fabric blanket divided into small compartments, which are then filled with plastic pellets or small beads. Plastic-filled blankets are typically more affordable, but bulkier; and some consumers prefer to avoid plastics for personal or environmental reasons. Glass or metal are considered less likely to cause allergic reactions; and due to their inherent density, less bulk is required to achieve the same weight. [2]
All-fabric types of weighted blankets are also available. They are often knitted or crocheted with thick and heavy materials, such as T-shirt yarn (also known as "tarn" or "T-yarn", made out of T-shirt weight cotton), which is sometimes available as recycled materials, deadstock, or byproducts of the garment industry.
A 2018 systematic review, which investigated the effectiveness of using weighted blankets to decrease anxiety and insomnia, found that weighted blankets may be an appropriate therapeutic tool in reducing anxiety in limited settings and populations. However, the researchers also found that there is not enough evidence to suggest they are helpful with insomnia, and investigating their use was hampered by inconsistent practice. [1]
Scientists caution that studies on the safety of weighted blankets in healthy adults cannot be generalized to children, and even less so to children with disabilities. [15] Weighted blankets may be over 25 pounds (11.5 kg) and, due to this excessive weight, improper use of weighted blankets carries risk of harm to children, having been responsible for at least one child's death. [16]
Weighted blankets are widely recommended for autistic children by support groups and in online forums. However, there is no good scientific evidence that they have any positive effect on sleep or well-being. [17]
Weighted blankets are increasingly being used to try to aid sleep in children with autism, despite the fact that there continues to be insufficient evidence at present to support this use. [16]
Due to size and weight, weighted blankets are often difficult to launder (some are also made of materials that cannot be machine-washed). Therefore, many blankets are sold alongside a machine-washable cover. Additionally, the blanket's weight may exceed the maximum load allowed by a washing machine, and should always be checked in advance. A delicate wash in cold water is generally preferred, as this preserves the properties of the padding material and prevents damage to the weighted pellets/beads. In most cases, how often to wash a weighted blanket depends on how the owner uses it.
Special care should also be exercised when drying a weighted blanket. Most manufacturers recommend flat drying the blankets. [18] [19] This can be achieved by using a flat surface, laying down a few towels to soak the excess water, and laying the weighted blanket on top to dry. Hang drying is discouraged because the weighted blanket may lose its shape and reduce its lifespan. Gentle air drying in the machine may be possible, depending on the weighted blanket filling and padding material. Plastic and synthetic fabric or padding materials may lose their properties due to excessive air temperature. [20]
Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger's syndrome or Asperger's, is a term formerly used to describe a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, along with restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. Asperger syndrome has been merged with other disorders into autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and is no longer considered a stand-alone diagnosis. It was considered milder than other diagnoses which were merged into ASD due to relatively unimpaired spoken language and intelligence.
Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder where people have trouble sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep for as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low energy, irritability, and a depressed mood. It may result in an increased risk of accidents of all kinds as well as problems focusing and learning. Insomnia can be short term, lasting for days or weeks, or long term, lasting more than a month. The concept of the word insomnia has two possibilities: insomnia disorder (ID) and insomnia symptoms, and many abstracts of randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews often underreport on which of these two possibilities the word insomnia refers to.
Noise-cancelling headphones are headphones which suppress unwanted ambient sounds using active noise control. This is distinct from passive headphones which, if they reduce ambient sounds at all, use techniques such as soundproofing.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that begins in early childhood, persists throughout adulthood, and affects two crucial areas of development: social communication and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior. There are many conditions comorbid to autism spectrum disorder such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and epilepsy.
High-functioning autism (HFA) was historically an autism classification where a person exhibits no intellectual disability, but may experience difficulty in communication, emotion recognition, expression, and social interaction.
A hug machine, also known as a hug box, a squeeze machine, or a squeeze box, is a therapeutic device designed to calm hypersensitive persons, usually individuals with autism spectrum disorders. The device was invented by Temple Grandin to administer deep-touch pressure, a type of physical stimulation often self-administered by autistic individuals as a means of self-soothing.
Goodnites are diapers designed for managing bedwetting. Goodnites are produced by Kimberly-Clark. The product has also been seen titled as Huggies Goodnites on official Huggies branded webpages.
Autism therapies include a wide variety of therapies that help people with autism, or their families. Such methods of therapy seek to aid autistic people in dealing with difficulties and increase their functional independence.
Weighted clothing are garments that have heavy materials incorporated into them, to add weight to various parts of the body, usually as part of resistance training. The effect is achieved through attaching weighted pieces to the body which leave the hands free to grasp objects. Unlike with held weights or machines, weighted clothing can leave users more able to do a variety of movements and manual labour. In some cases certain weighted clothing can be worn under normal clothing, to disguise its use to allow exercise in casual environments.
Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a method of deep muscle relaxation that does not involve any medications, meaning it is a non-pharmacological intervention. The idea behind progressive muscle relaxation is that there is a relationship between a person's mind and body. The body responds to its environment by creating certain mind or body states such as anxiety, stress, and fear. When the body is in these states, the muscles tense up. Progressive muscle relaxation aims to reverse these body states back to more neutral, relaxed states.
Sensory integration therapy (SIT) was originally developed by occupational therapist A. Jean Ayres in the 1970s to help children with sensory-processing difficulties. It was specifically designed to treat Sensory Processing Disorder. Sensory Integration Therapy is based on A. Jean Ayres's Sensory Integration Theory, which proposes that sensory-processing is linked to emotional regulation, learning, behavior, and participation in daily life. Sensory integration is the process of organizing sensations from the body and environmental stimuli.
Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is a feeding or eating disorder in which people avoid eating certain foods, or restrict their diets to the point it ultimately results in nutritional deficiencies. This can be due to the sensory characteristics of food, such as its appearance, smell, texture, or taste; due to fear of negative consequences such as choking or vomiting; having little interest in eating or food, or a combination of these factors. People with ARFID may also be afraid of trying new foods, a fear known as food neophobia.
Classic autism, also known as childhood autism, autistic disorder, (early) infantile autism, infantile psychosis, Kanner's autism, Kanner's syndrome, or (formerly) just autism, is a neurodevelopmental condition first described by Leo Kanner in 1943. It is characterized by atypical and impaired development in social interaction and communication as well as restricted, repetitive behaviors, activities, and interests. These symptoms first appear in early childhood and persist throughout life.
Autism, also called autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and deficits in reciprocal social communication. Other common signs include special interests, stereotypic body movements (stimming), rigid routines, hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input, and difficulty with social interaction and verbal and nonverbal communication. Autism is clinically regarded as a spectrum disorder, meaning that it can manifest very differently in each person. For example, some are nonspeaking, while others have proficient spoken language. Because of this, there is wide variation in the support needs of people across the autism spectrum.
Autism-friendly means being aware of social engagement and environmental factors affecting people on the autism spectrum, with modifications to communication methods and physical space to better suit individual's unique and special needs.
Discrimination against autistic people involves any form of discrimination, persecution, or oppression against people who are autistic. Discrimination against autistic people is a form of ableism.
Sensory processing disorder is a condition in which multisensory input is not adequately processed in order to provide appropriate responses to the demands of the environment. Sensory processing disorder is present in many people with dyspraxia, autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Individuals with SPD may inadequately process visual, auditory, olfactory (smell), gustatory (taste), tactile (touch), vestibular (balance), proprioception, and interoception sensory stimuli.
Jolene Creighton is an American media executive, entrepreneur, and consultant. She was the Founding Editor-in-Chief of the science news site Futurism. In 2017, Creighton co-Founded Gravity Products, a subsidiary of Futurism. The company's inaugural product, The Gravity Blanket, pioneered the weighted blanket movement. Creighton also served as Editor-in-Chief of the science and technology news site Interesting Engineering and Executive Editor at the Web3 media publication NFTnow.
Melatonin is a dietary supplement and medication as well as naturally occurring hormone. As a hormone, melatonin is released by the pineal gland and is involved in sleep–wake cycles. As a supplement, it is often used for the attempted short-term treatment of disrupted sleep patterns, such as from jet lag or shift work, and is typically taken orally. Evidence of its benefit for this use, however, is not strong. A 2017 review found that sleep onset occurred six minutes faster with use, but found no change in total time asleep.
The Gravity Blanket is a weighted blanket product originally developed by—and subsequently spun off from—the technology media company Futurism. The blanket was crowdfunded via a viral Kickstarter campaign that exceeded its fundraising goal by nearly US$4.7 million. The blanket was considered by Time magazine to be among the top 50 inventions of 2018, with the magazine noting that while Gravity did not create the idea of a weighted blanket, it "perfected the art of marketing them to the masses."
