Weighted blankets for children promote better sleep and reduce anxiety in children
A study from Halmstad University shows that parents of children who used fiber-weighted blankets reported that their children’s sleep improved. The parents described how their children fell asleep more quickly, woke up fewer times during the night, and developed better sleep routines. Parents also reported that their children’s overall well-being improved, with increased relaxation, reduced anxiety, and a greater zest for life.
Halmstad University is conducting a comprehensive clinical study examining sleep in children with ADHD. Among other things, the study evaluates the effect of weighted blankets on children with ADHD and sleep difficulties. The study is being conducted with support from Novista.
In a sub-study, researchers interviewed 24 parents of children with ADHD and sleep problems about their experiences with the Fiberweight blanket’s impact on their children’s sleep and overall well-being.
New research: Sleep trackers show that weighted blankets improve sleep in children with ADHD.
The parents reported that their children experienced improved sleep continuity and better sleep routines. They slept more peacefully, more deeply, and more continuously, and thus got more hours of sleep at night than before they started using the Fiberweight blanket. One parent described:
– They always need to fall asleep with one of us to relax, but they’re such a light sleeper that once they’ve fallen asleep, you can’t move without waking them up. With the weighted blanket, they fall asleep faster and sleep much more deeply. Now we don’t even have to tiptoe out of bed once they’ve fallen asleep, because they sleep so soundly.
Weighted blankets for children: Here’s what you need to know.
Some reported that using the Fiberweight blanket improved their children’s well-being. They observed positive effects in children who had previously experienced fear and anxiety about being unable to fall asleep or sleep through the night. This allowed the children to focus better, reduced symptoms of hyperactivity and stress, and also contributed to a more stable mood.
– I’ve noticed a difference in their anxiety since they started using the weighted blanket. It’s gone! They’ve always been a restless child, and now it’s as if a weight has been lifted off their shoulders. There’s been such a difference in their behavior. Before, they’d get anxious and stressed every time we were going somewhere or doing something. They still want to know what we’re going to do, but they’re not anxious or stressed about it at all… The weighted blanket is magical. I never thought it would have such a positive effect on them. It’s made things easier for both us and them.
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The parents also said that the weighted blanket gave the children a feeling of being touched and embraced, and that it provided them with calm, comfort, and relaxation.
– The weighted blanket has been incredible. Before, they could lie in bed for hours, sometimes until 11 p.m…. Now they get up on their own and fall asleep right away. Before, I often had to sit there for hours with the light on. Now they go upstairs on their own, crawl under the blanket, and turn off the light.
The Effects of Using Fiber-Filled Blankets for Children
1 Improved sleep continuity and better routines
The parents reported that their children had improved sleep continuity and better sleep routines. They slept more peacefully, more deeply, and more continuously, and thus got more hours of sleep at night than before they started using the weighted blanket.
2 Falling Asleep Faster
The children fell asleep more quickly with the weighted blanket. Before using the weighted blanket, several parents reported that their children had trouble calming down, relaxing, and falling asleep when they were in bed.
3 Greater relaxation
The parents also said that the weighted blanket gave the children a feeling of being touched and embraced, and that it provided them with calm, comfort, and relaxation.
4 Increased well-being and reduced anxiety
Using the weighted blanket also improved their children’s well-being, reducing anxiety. The previous fear of not being able to fall asleep or sleep through the night disappeared when they used the weighted blanket. Reduced anxiety also allowed the children to focus, reduce their hyperactivity and stress, which contributed to a more stable mood.
5 Better Work-Life Balance
A good night’s sleep with the weighted blanket made the children’s daily lives easier and helped them achieve better balance, which had a positive effect at school and during leisure activities. They noticed that the children participated more actively in family and leisure activities.
If you would like to read the scientific article, click on the link: IJERPH | Free Full-Text | Parents’ Experiences of Weighted Blankets’ Impact on Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Sleep Problems—A Qualitative Study (mdpi.com)
*The weighted blanket used in the study is a fiber-weighted blanket, which is a special type of weighted blanket with unique properties that set it apart from other weighted blankets. The weight comes from long, soft fiber strands that are very heavy relative to their volume. This means, for example, that the fiber-weighted blanket is soft, that the filling always stays in place inside the blanket, and that it is completely silent.
Reference: Larsson I, Aili K, Nygren JM, Jarbin H, Svedberg P. Parents’ Experiences of the Impact of Weighted Blankets on Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Sleep Problems—A Qualitative Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Dec 8;18(24):12959. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182412959. PMID: 34948571; PMCID: PMC8700927.
