Weighted blankets are a blessing for many children and adults, easing stress and restoring restful sleep. Soft and comfortable, they can feel like a warm embrace and can treat many conditions from autism to insomnia. If anxiety is disrupting your child’s sleep – or your own – the main question on your mind is likely to be ‘are weighted blankets good for anxiety?’

Weighted blankets are available in different shapes, sizes and colours for different tastes. One thing all good weighted blankets have in common is they’re great for calming kids.

Sister Sensory is one of Australia’s leading destinations for sensory products of all kinds including anxiety aids. We stock a huge range of toys and tools to support kids with autism, ADHD, sensory processing disorder and anxiety and their parents, teachers and carers. If you’ve been trying to provide relief from anxiety to children in your care, we have solutions in store.

Are weighed blankets good for anxiety? Let’s take a look.

How do weighted blankets work?

 Weighted blankets are therapeutic blankets stuffed with materials like pellets, beads and ball bearings. These blankets weigh between 2.3 and 13.6 kilograms and mirror a therapeutic technique called deep pressure stimulation. This kind of stimulation, which is similar to a warm, firm hug, can improve sleep, mood and focus, and to help to manage overstimulation.

A weighted blanket places just enough pressure on a child’s body to induce a feeling of calm. It activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which lowers the heart rate when stressed. It would logically follow, then, that weighted blankets are good for anxiety. So how does that look in practice?

 Are weighed blankets good for anxiety?

 We all feel anxious at times. But if the feeling doesn’t have a clear cause or doesn’t go away once the stressful circumstance has passed, it’s often the sign of an anxiety condition.

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia, affecting one in four people. Each year, 7% of Australian children receive an anxiety diagnosis. Signs and symptoms include feeling worried or afraid most of the time, having difficulty controlling emotions, finding it hard to calm down and experiencing sleep disturbances.

Since anxiety affects sleep, are weighted blankets good for anxiety?

The pressure of weighted blankets can reduce the symptoms of anxiety by putting your automatic nervous system into rest mode, calming a quickened heart rate and reducing the release of stress hormones. Weighted blankets are made to produce feelings of safety, comfort and emotional regulation, which calm the feelings of anxiety in the process.

Finding the right weighted blanket to reduce you or your child’s anxiety involves focusing on your individual needs. Choose a blanket size that’s appropriate for your child’s body weight and take sensitivity to certain textures into account.

 Which are conditions do weighted blankets help with?

 Weighted blankets are good for anxiety, but they also help with other mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions. Weighted blankets can provide relief to both children and adults with:

Autism

Children with autism often have trouble sleeping. Autistic children can experience particular problems with insomnia and irregular sleeping and waking patterns. The deep pressure stimulation of weighted blankets can help children with sensory processing difficulties relax and ease into a deeper, more restful sleep.

ADHD

Much like autism, ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects how one thinks and processes the outside world. Common symptoms include hyperactivity, inattention and trouble focusing. A 2022 study showed that weighted blankets improve sleep problems in children with ADHD considerably. Weighted blankets can also help your children’s brain to focus on the task at hand, making it a useful tool for all kinds of activities, not just better sleep.

Sleep disorders

Both children and adults can struggle with insomnia, which involves difficulties with falling asleep, staying asleep or waking up too early. Weighted blankets can help those with sleep disorders achieve a deeper, more satisfying sleep.

Sister Sensory’s weighted blankets

 Find weighted blankets and other anxiety aids right here at Sister Sensory. A registered NDIS provider, Sister Sensory stocks an ever-expanding range of fidget toys and sensory tools for calming kids and helping them to sleep, play and learn better. We have more than 2,000 products with new ones being added constantly, we work closely with experts and specialists across Australia to provide you with a one-stop sensory shop.

Sister Sensory’s weighted blankets are designed to provide stress relief and comfort to both children and adults. Our Elizabeth Richards small weighted blanket uses the therapeutic power of Deep Touch Pressure Stimulation and evenly distributes its weight in beautiful cotton fabric. Our Premium Neptune Blanket® II is made from breathable cotton and is filled with superior glass bead that keeps the blanket safe and fully washable.

To find out more, call us on 0401 689 313, e-mail info@sistersensory.com.au or drop into Factory 4, 4 Brooke Court Melton, Vic, 3337.