When we feel shaky as a result of our anxiety and we need to feel safe, we may snuggle up in a blanket to make ourselves feel better. Weighted blankets have been known to be used in hospitals and therapeutic areas, but have become more mainstream to buy based on how helpful they have been. If you feel like you are completely overwhelmed by your mental health symptoms, you should buy yourself a weighted blanket to help calm you down and make you feel centered.
Deep Pressure Stimulation
Weighted blankets tend to offer us something called deep pressure stimulation. When we tend to feel overstimulated, this stimulation helps keep us grounded. When applied correctly, this pressure can feel the same as a warm hug, a massage, or cuddling. Considering a large area of your body is receiving a gentle pressure from this blanket, this should help you feel calm and safe.
Calming the Nervous System
Our nervous system is in charge of breathing, heart rate, blood circulation, and reflexes. When we become stressed or feel threatened, our nervous system feels like danger is coming and is ready to be in defense mode. Even though we are not in any real danger, our body is sending us all of these signals trying to regulate itself. A weighted blanket has the power to have our nervous system switch into a state of rest. This blanket tells our bodies that we do not need to be on guard anymore.
Other Mental Health Benefits of Weighted Blankets
Because weighted blankets give us the experience of receiving a hug, people with other panic-inducing mental illnesses can benefit from them as well. These mental illnesses include insomnia, chronic pain, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, dementia, or depression. People who have trouble sleeping can benefit from a weighted blanket in calming our system and providing us with a more restful sleep without sleeping pills or prescribed medications.
Precautions of Weighted Blankets
It is important that weighted blankets are not to be used for infants two years old or younger. This is because it can be hard to move freely with them on or lack the muscle strength to sleep with them on. You should also speak to a healthcare provider about what size and weight of the blanket to get. A weighted blanket is a great strategy to help you feel grounded and safe while struggling with anxiety.
At Alta Loma Transformational Living, you will meet knowledgeable, compassionate professionals that understand addiction in all its forms. Alta Loma uses an integrative and holistic approach to treat addiction and mental health issues. No treatment is one-size-fits-all, where you will have a team of experts prepared to create your customized treatment plan. We offer care for your mind, body, and spirit, so that you can heal from the inside out and look forward to a lifetime of sobriety and wellness. If you are ready to take the first step in your recovery, please call us at 866-457-3843.
