Weighted blankets

Are they effective? .... I see they cost quite a lot of money. Has anyone ever just laddled themselves with heavy duvet covers? Do you think weight blankets are worth the money?

I have one. It's very soothing. Helps anxiety and insomnia. For this I think it's worth it.

How does it help you Moose? Say your really anxious in what ways does it soothe your anxiety? I really want all the info I can get on them. I have read online but want to know what you guys think of them

I think mine was worth every penny (and I have several. One 22 lb on my bed, a 10 lb one for travel/hospitalizations and an 8 lb "wrap" that I rarely use but is good when I do use it (I typically just crawl in bed under the heavy one when I should use it. I bought it for travel/hospital but it isn't wide enough to cover me and doesn't work as well).

The pressure of the blanket triggers receptors in your cells that tell your body exactly where every part of your body is and that makes you feel safe and calm. That's the semi-scientific explanation (I'm an OT and used them clinically before I bought one) but mostly it feels like a big hug.

It's hard to get enough weight to really benefit from piling on blankets (I in fact pile on a lot on top of my 22 lbs). You generally want about 10% of your body weight up to 20some lbs max (22 seems to be about the top limit).

I'm operating on almost no sleep so please ask me if I haven't answered something you wanted to know.

I use a bean bag on my shoulder. I made it myself at the suggestion of my therapist out of a long tube sock and a 2lb bag of lentils.

Like beyond the rainbow said, it's like a big hug. It makes me feel safe. Your body produces serotonin (feel good hormone) and then melatonin (sleepy hormone) when you use the blanket.

The place I got mine took three weeks exactly to get it to me. They advertise 2 to 3. The blanket is well made- durable and soft. At first I thought it wasn't very warm but that was because I tried it straight out of the box when it had been sitting in cold ups warehouses and trucks. I do use my comforter over it for extra warmth. Some people get a lighter fabric (mine's flannel) if they live somewhere warm.

Just curious ..... how can a person stand the blanket when it's the hot months!

I can't even imagine

I don't know. I'll have to get back to you on that. Stick your bare feet out the end?

What we were taught in school was that most people like the sensation of the blanket so much that they will choose being warm over not having it. That's true for me and mine is made of a really warm fabric (minkee dots). I don't use it on my whole body when it is hot, usually just from my chest to above my knees.

The only time I haven't used it in the last 11 years is when I had ankle surgery and was afraid it would torque my ankle somehow. I remember how happy I was the day that I was able to use it again (it took 5-6 months).

Is overheating an issue? Would love to get one but both H and I are sensitive to overheating.

I'm not sure as its winter in Michigan. However, I have a heated mattress pad on my bed and I sleep with it on every night and use a sheet and my weighted blanket and a comforter and am not too hot. Mine is flannel, but you can get them in lighter-weight material.

Getting a lighter fabric sounds good. Overheating is an issue for my husband since he has MS, and we typically keep the bedroom cold.

When I first got my blanket and took it out of the box it was cold. I wondered how it would ever heat me up but it was just that it had been in trucks and warehouses houses without heat in winter. I bet if you get the thinner fabric and keep it in your coolest room (your bedroom?) It will be OK.