Weighted Blanket Benefits
I Spent Over £200 on a Weighted Blanket, and It’s Changed My Entire F*cking Life
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Editor's note: The author wrote this while curled up under a weighted blanket.
My Friday nights are typically saved for drinking wine, catching up on my DVR, and surfing the internet (Do people still say "surfing the internet?"). Late last year, during one of these weekly rabbit-hole sessions, I stumbled upon a Kickstarter for a weighted "gravity blanket" that promised to ease stress, anxiety, and insomnia.
As someone who cherishes sleep to a borderline-disturbing level, I was intrigued. Anything that promises to help me keep calm and sleep on will always get my attention, but something about this seemed different (probably because I'd had a few glasses of wine). After checking out the Kickstarter video, I entered my billing information and slammed the order button. After some months, I was the proud owner of a weighted blanket. I've been using it nearly every day since, and it's pretty much changed my life.
The Gravity Blanket (£180, originally £300) comes in a cozy dark grey shade and is the perfect size to cover one person (i.e., me) on a bed or sofa. The blanket you choose should be roughly 10 percent of your body weight (for example, I bought a 15-pound one), but you can go with something lighter or heavier if you want.
I'm not going to sit here and tell you that over £200 is nothing, because it's not. Even though I paid considerably less because I got the Kickstarter price, the Gravity Blanket is still one of the more expensive things in my home. But when I get to my apartment, take my bra off, fall onto the couch, and throw my blanket over me, it feels like a much-needed hug at the end of a long and trying day. Here's why you should snap one up for yourself and thank me later.
The Features
The Gravity Blanket is made up of a supersoft microfibre outer duvet and an inner layer of micro beads. The gridded stitching ensures that the beads are evenly distributed and don't do that weird "shifting" thing that down pillows can do. The duvet zips open, and both parts of the blanket are machine washable. As someone whose home is mostly decorated in neutral shades, I really love the versatile grey colour.
Why I Love It
The science behind the Gravity Blanket fascinated me most. The blanket uses "deep touch pressure stimulation" known to increase serotonin and melatonin — the hormones that promote relaxation — while "decreasing cortisol," the hormone responsible for stress. The fact that wrapping the blanket around me feels like being in the womb is no accident; deep touch pressure stimulation mimics the feeling of being held or hugged, and it's the same logic behind putting your pet in a ThunderShirt to help them stay calm during stressful situations. Don't we all need that feeling right now?
The best thing about the Gravity Blanket is that while you can certainly sleep under it every night (and I do), it's also great for lounging on the couch while watching TV, reading a book, or pretending Barack Obama is still in office. I've tried almost everything to help with my sleep issues, and while the Gravity Blanket isn't a cure-all, it definitely plays a huge part in my ability to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. I don't toss and turn as much, and if I do need to get up (like, to go to the bathroom or force my dog into bed with me), I fall back asleep easily. It's been nearly a year since the Gravity Blanket has been a sleep staple, and I've never been more satisfied with a purchase in my adult life.
