The science behind the gravity blanket. How and why does it work?
We've created the most complete guide so you can learn everything you need to know about the Prosleep gravity blanket (and more).
1. What is a gravity blanket?
The gravity blanket is a therapeutic weighted blanket.
For adults, it weighs from 7 to 15 kilos and the pressure it exerts on the body promotes deep sleep, relieves anxiety and relieves you from stress.
To gain so much weight, our blanket is divided into knitted cells in which hypoallergenic glass beads, as fine as grains of sand, are placed.
These glass beads distribute the weight of the blanket equally and the feeling on the body is soft and reminiscent of a hug.
Read more about what a gravity blanket is in the article we have written.
(These are the glass beads we use to give the blankets weight)
2. Top 10 beneficial properties of the gravity blanket
The beneficial properties of the gravity blanket are many, which is why its use is not limited to the bedroom. Let's look at the 10 most popular of them:
- Relieves stress
- Reduces stress levels
- Improves sleep quality
- Fights insomnia
- Treats the symptom of restless legs
- Relieves pain
- Fights fibromyalgia
- Improves mood
- Helps autism and ADHD
- Enhances concentration
So can something as simple as sleeping with a heavy blanket on your body have such significant benefits?
Yes it can! The answer lies in Deep Tactile Pressure .
3. Deep Tactile Pressure Therapy
Behind the success of the gravity blanket is Deep Tactile Pressure therapy.
Deep Tactile Pressure, although it sounds like a complex concept, is nothing more than the application of constant and gentle pressure to the entire body.
This pressure - according to researchers at Harvard and others - causes a beneficial change in our nervous system: the transition from the sympathetic nervous system to the parasympathetic one.
After a few minutes of Deep Tactile Pressure, the heart rate drops, the eyelids become heavy, and the body relaxes.
4. Positive effects on insomnia and stress
According to research conducted on people suffering from chronic insomnia, using a gravity blanket for 4 weeks had the following effects:
- reducing the time until they fall asleep
- longer duration of sleep during the night
- more energy during the day
- reduced symptoms of fatigue
- reduced levels of anxiety and depression
Another study showed that using a gravity blanket reduced blood pressure and pulse oximetry, signs that indicate low stress levels. More specifically:
- 63% reported feeling less stressed
- 78% preferred the gravity blanket for stress relief over any other option
5. Hormones, happiness and sleep
Many researchers believe that the constant pressure exerted by the blanket on the body helps the body naturally increase levels of serotonin and melatonin (hormones of happiness and sleep) and reduce levels of cortisol, which are responsible for feelings of fear and anxiety.
What is serotonin?
Serotonin is the hormone that makes us feel cheerful, appetizing, and happy, which is why you will informally hear it referred to as the "happiness" hormone.
Elevated serotonin levels are often associated with reduced time in the fifth stage of sleep, also known as REM. REM sleep is the stage characterized by rapid eye movements and increased brain waves.
This means that the brain is extremely active during this stage of sleep. However, our brain's deep rest occurs outside of REM sleep. This also highlights the fact that healthy serotonin levels increase the time for restful, deep sleep.
Another important factor of serotonin is its relationship with melatonin, the hormone that induces sleep.
What is melatonin?
Melatonin is the hormone that controls the circadian rhythm, or more simply, our biological clock that regulates the times we sleep and wake up.
During the day, melatonin levels remain low to keep us awake. At night, however, the absence of natural light stimulates the gland known as the pineal gland, which in turn prompts the brain to produce more melatonin to help us go to sleep.
If it's time for bed but you don't feel sleepy, then this is a sign that your melatonin levels are low.
But did you know that serotonin acts as a precursor to melatonin? Gravity blankets promote serotonin production, which in turn causes melatonin levels to increase.
Therefore, if a lack of melatonin is what keeps you awake at night, cover yourself with a gravity blanket and you will soon be transported to dreamy paths that will lead you to a deep and restful sleep.