Weighted blankets are heavy blankets that use deep-touch pressure, making you feel warm and as though you’re being held. A weighted blanket is also said to calm the user by reducing their body movement with the gentle pressure that comes from its weight. These blankets are mostly filled with plastic poly pellets or discs, and contain weight that is evenly distributed. Several studies say that there are multiple health benefits attached to weighted blankets. Here are a few of them:

• Combat anxiety

Weighted blankets can help reduce anxiety. Their deep-touch stimulation has a calming effect on your mood. Stressors—such as a lack of good sleep—that give rise to anxiety are kept in check with a weighted blanket. Such a blanket also reduces the risk of anxiety attacks that are often triggered by tiredness and extreme fatigue, thereby easing you into a deep sleep.

• Boost serotonin

Many who are diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety, and other sensory disorders are found to have low levels of serotonin, a chemical that creates feelings of joy and happiness. Those deprived of a good level of serotonin are more likely to feel low and upset. Weighted blankets work to boost serotonin levels, thereby leaving you feeling happy, content, and relaxed. This might eventually lead to a more regulated sleep and improved moods.

• Curb stress

Weighted blankets are also effective in reducing the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that is released into the bloodstream. Stress can affect your mental health and physical well-being in major ways; and this is why it is important to control it. A weighted blanket’s deep-touch pressure can relieve the body and mind of stress while you sleep. For many, it is not enough to rely on medications for stress relief as they can have side effects. However, this possibility is completely eliminated when it comes to using weighted blankets.

• Enhance sleep quality

Using a weighted blanket can enable you to fall asleep faster than usual. It can help in experiencing a disturbance-free sleep, thanks to the weight of the blanket that the body will be under. This, in turn, helps you wake up feeling fresh. It can also release dopamine and endorphins that leave you feeling comforted. All in all, weighted blankets tend to make sleep more restorative.

• Calm those with ADHD

Those with attention deficit hyperactivity syndrome (ADHD) have trouble focusing on the activities they are performing. They also struggle with impulsivity and often feel unsettled. Weighted blankets soothe those with ADHD and help them relax, ensuring that you get a good night’s sleep. This is possible with ample release of melatonin—a hormone that regulates your sleep cycle—and serotonin. In addition, weighted blankets act as mood stabilizers that can even help battle insomnia.