Living / 24 April, 2020 / Ellie Thompson
The weighted blanket has been traditionally used by professionals in the medical community to help alleviate symptoms of autism, sensory processing disorders, anxiety, and depression. It’s really only recently scientific studies have begun to discuss the various health advantages of a weighted blanket for everyday use – and we’re excited to tell you more!
Gravity is the go-to trusted brand when it comes to luxury, custom-made weighted blankets. The Gravity Blanket is fast becoming a popular alternative to the duvet – and with research proving it can help improve wellbeing, it’s easy to see why.
The Gravity Blanket consists of an inner weighted insert made from 100% organic cotton, together with a soft blanket cover created from the most sumptuous high-quality velvet. The cover is plush on one side and velvet on the other. What’s more, the blanket is fully hypoallergenic and machine washable at 40 degrees.
The Gravity Blanket is handmade and incorporates a special deep touch technology. Its small square sections are filled with glass micro-beads which evenly distribute the weight of the blanket to spread an even pressure all over your body.
Your weighted blanket should be equal to approximately 10% of your own body weight so it can effectively stimulate pressure points found around the body.
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Weighted blankets were initially developed with the sole purpose of relieving stress and anxiety. The blanket exerts a low pressure that encourages your body to relax, and your pulse to slow.
A weighted blanket offers the therapeutic sensation of being held or embraced, a bit like a baby being swaddled – which can help you de-stress.
The science behind the blanket goes a little bit like this:
A weighted blanket provides a deep touch pressure that stimulates pressure points found in the body. This pressure stimulation contributes to the improvement of sleep, mood, and relaxation.
The treatment boosts serotonin and melatonin levels while reducing cortisol in the body, which helps to regulate both heart rate and blood pressure.
Serotonin and melatonin levels are important when it comes to sleep.
Serotonin is a natural mood stabiliser and the build-up of serotonin contributes to the onset of a more restful sleep.
Melatonin helps to control your daily sleep-wake cycles, while cortisol is your body’s main stress hormone, often described as nature’s built-in alarm system.
Being able to optimise these hormone levels through the pressure of a gravity blanket will help you regulate both heart rate and blood pressure. You’ll enjoy a restful night’s sleep which in turn, will improve your overall mood and wellbeing.
The science is amazing, right?
The low pressure exerted by the weight of the Gravity Blanket also has a relaxing effect on joints, muscles and tendons. A weighted blanket can also help to alleviate restless leg syndrome.
Firstly, and I suppose it’s a little shallow, but the Gravity Blanket is a gorgeous looking product. I was so excited to ditch the duvet and dress my bed with this, we opted for the grey colour.
The blanket is incredibly soft and looks and feels completely luxurious. My two cats agree, (they do not usually bed share, Delilah has no time for newcomer rescue cat Ralphie) but it seems the Gravity Blanket has bought harmony into our household, and I can report that they’ve BOTH been lounging (very closely, I might add) on the bed ever since, needing dough and purring. Luckily for us, the cover is machine washable!
Our bed now consists of two blankets, one for me, weighing 8 stone, and one for my husband, who’s almost double my weight, at 15 stone. What surprised me was how thin, but yet how heavy the blankets are – especially my husband’s. If I’m caught under that one, I’m done for!
Sliding under the blanket for the first time, I felt like I was staying at the poshest hotel. So snug and cozy, I definitely agree with their comparison to a ‘therapeutic warm embrace’. It’s like being cuddled off to sleep – in a completely non-annoying way.
We’ve been using our blankets for the best part of the week and I’ve definitely noticed that my sleeping patterns have changed very slightly already. I always seem to wake around 3am, which I’ve since dubbed ‘the witching hour’ – and sometimes it can take me up to an hour to get back to sleep, once my mind starts wandering, and the panic sets in that I’m awake far too early and the night is slipping away into morning! Using the Gravity Blanket, when I wake up for my once nightly trip to the loo, I’m back in bed and asleep much quicker than usual.
I think the only problem you’ll have here, is choosing which colour to go for. I’m now really hankering after the blue, although the grey matches our room perfectly! The Gravity Blanket is an investment, and right now, you can get 10% off with discount code MYBABA10 at the checkout, valid until 23rd June.
NB: You need to consult your doctor before using Gravity Blanket if you are pregnant, diabetic or suffering from heart disease or experience any unregulated blood pressure.
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