Types of Weighted Blankets (Comparison) | Best Blanket Kinds

This article compares different types of weighted blankets and evaluates the pros and cons. Let’s begin with some information on weighted blankets for neurodivergent people.

How Weighted Blankets Help Neurodivergent People

I’ve been my younger brother’s caregiver for about two years now, and one symptom he experiences often is anxiety. Studies show that adults with autism tend to experience frequent, lingering episodes with anxiety that can affect their abilities to interact socially as well as their sleep patterns.

I decided to do research on what product types could better aid him in everyday life. One item that seemed different from other kinds of autistic therapy products was the weighted blanket.

Weighted blankets have been shown to ease high-stress levels that most anxious people tend to feel in their day-to-day, so I decided to do some research and see if it was worth a try.

What the Mayo Clinic has to say about Weighted Blankets

According to this YouTube video from Mayo Clinic Minute, the weighted blanket acts to release a number of brain chemicals that are usually activated from hugs, such as oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine.

Dr. Adam Perlman says that patients experience a decrease in the stress hormone cortisol, which helps to treat patients with anxiety, restless leg syndrome, and has been shown to improve a person’s sleep quality overall.

I would recommend this video to anyone suffering from different social and behavioral disorder types as it gives professional insight into the kinds of people that can benefit from using a weighted blanket.

Weighted Blankets Can Aid Everyday People in All Situation Types

Although this article focuses on the different ways that a neurodivergent person could benefit from a weighted blanket, I wanted to include this video from Goodful so that individuals of all kinds could see the benefit of the product.

Merle O’Neal recounts in this video the different types of issues she would encounter when trying other kinds of sleep aids. O’Neal talks about the kinds of hang-ups she experienced that made her hesitant to try a weighted blanket, such as the cost and her disbelief in the effectiveness of the product.

Over the course of a week, O’Neal’s opinion became very different on how helpful the blanket could be. She talks about the types of ways she experimented with the effectiveness of her blanket, including reducing the amount of Melatonin she took.

By the end of the seven days, O’Neal reports an overall positive outlook on the use of weighted blankets, even going so far as to bring her blanket to a horror movie.

How Do I Find The Right Weighted Blanket for Me?

For our purposes, I needed to find a blanket that appealed to my brother. He has an extreme sensory overload with certain fabrics, so I opted to get the CoolMax, rather than one made from Cotton or Flannel.

It’s also incredibly important to note the specific measurements and weight of each blanket, as different kinds of blankets work best for different ages. Thanks to this helpful size chart that I found, I was able to find the right weight and length for him.

I’m happy to report that my brother slept for longer periods of time, both on and off of his Latuda, and the result it had in the middle of some high-sensory situations was overwhelmingly positive! I would recommend this blanket to anyone searching for an effective therapy tool!