Blankets
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Blanket
STATEMENT Tired of life? Time to lose yourself under the smothering embrace of a weighted blanket. Sarah Fung learns more about this trend that’s coming to a bedroom near you.
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riginally recommended for individuals with sensory processing issues, weighted blankets have officially hit the mainstream. Devotees swear that snuggling up under these hefty bedclothes, often made with glass beads, helps to reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality. How do they work? The theory goes that the firm, even weight distribution stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. The pressure gives the same benefits as a tight hug, hitting that serotonin button, suppressing cortisol production
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and releasing feel-good endorphins that make you feel calm and relaxed. One 2015 study, published in the Journal of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Disorders, found that four out of five adults with chronic insomnia reported better quality sleep, woke up less, and settled down better when using a weighted blanket at night. While more research is needed on their effectiveness (and likely won’t happen unless Big Blanket comes up with funding), the Amazon comments section is filled with weighted blanket converts who say that their purchases have been life-changing, helping with issues as far-ranging as anxiety, insomnia, autism, restless leg syndrome and fibromyalgia, to name a few.
