This is a simple fact: the stuff that makes you feel the most comfortable helps you sleep better.
That same stuff also helps you relax while inducing feelings of bliss, happiness, and security. No wonder many of us sleep with our childhood “comfort objects” no matter how smelly, threadbare, worn, and dirty they are.
With advancements in technology and better research in therapeutic procedures, however, you can have comfort objects that can actually provide health benefits. A gravity blanket is one of these amazing inventions.
This comprehensive review will let you know more about The Gravity Blanket and how this revolutionary piece of fabric can make you feel healthier and sleep better.
First things first – let’s dive straight into the basics:
Here’s what Gravity Blankets are all about and how its ingenious design works:
Gravity Blankets produces one of America’s most favorite brands of premium weighted blankets. Backed by science and made with the human body’s needs in mind, their 2017 Kickstarter campaign raised over $4.7 million. In fact, their popular Gravity Blanket was awarded by TIME Magazine as one of the best inventions of 2018. If that doesn’t tell how truly amazing this product is, then we don’t know what will.
Since trailblazing into the weighted blanket market, Gravity Blankets have helped thousands of Americans use their products as a primary self-care aid to help soothe them to sleep and essentially become healthier – both physically and mentally.
But just what is a weighted blanket, exactly?
A weighted blanket is a therapy tool commonly utilized in therapy or psychiatry clinics. It is used for patients who are undergoing occupational therapy or sensory integration therapy. It is a thick blanket filled with poly pellets or glass beads that are sewn into small pockets that are placed strategically throughout the material. These pellets give the blanket extra weight. Weighted blankets weigh around 5 to 30 pounds.
You might be asking:
How can a heavy piece of fabric qualify as a therapy tool?
Well, the Gravity Blanket’s weight provides deep touch pressure (DTP). The fabric’s weight gently presses on the body’s many pressure points. This pressure stimulates the production of dopamine and serotonin, two hormones that are responsible for feelings of pleasure, tranquility, and relaxation.
Several sleep studies show that the gentle pressure activates several areas of the limbic system. Also, DTP can help desensitize those who are hypersensitive to various stimuli, which is a common problem among those with autism or insomnia. Being less sensitive to the environment around them makes and teaches them to be calm and composed.
Weighted blankets are now starting to become more mainstream and quite popular with the general public. The need for people to improve their quality of sleep and to relieve certain sensory problems made these blankets in-demand.
How is the Gravity Blanket different from others in the market?
Gravity Blanket Features
You enjoy the following when you buy a Gravity Blanket :
Dual-sided duvet cover
When you purchase a brand new Gravity Blanket, you’ll also get a removable and machine-washable duvet cover. The cover has internal clasps to keep the actual weighted blanket in place. The cool thing about this cover is that one side feels velvety and the other silky. Simply choose a side feels good on your skin!
Balanced pressure
The beads that add weight to the Gravity Blanket are held together by individual grid-stitched squares. This allows an even distribution of pressure all along the blanket.
Adequate size for couple or big sleepers
Most weighted blankets cover only a small portion of the bed, just enough for one person. At a standard size of 48 X 72 inches, however, the Gravity Blanket is quite large. It can cover a couple or a large, heavyset person. If that is still not enough for you, you can opt for the Queen/King size, which is a vast 90 X 90 inches.
30-day Return & Exchange Policy
If, for any reason, you’re unhappy with your Gravity Blanket, you’re welcome to return your purchase within 30 days provided the product is in perfect condition, unused and is in its original packaging. Click here to see their full return policy.
Benefits of the Gravity Blanket
Around 40 million Americans suffer from insomnia, or sleeplessness. It is very frustrating having difficulty in falling asleep, not having a good night’s rest, and feeling exhausted all day long.
The Gravity Blanket provides you with deep but gentle pressure (remember DTP?) to help your body release serotonin, a powerful hormone that promotes feelings of relaxation.
As an added benefit, DTP reduces cortisol levels in your body. Cortisol is a hormone that is produced when you are feeling anxious or stressed out.
Here’s a list of great benefits offered by purchasing a Gravity Blanket:
1. Improves sleep quality by reducing movement
People who are suffering from insomnia usually move a lot in their sleep. Usually, they are kept awake trying to find the most comfortable position or being tormented by the tiniest sensations.
The Journal of Sleep Medicine and Disorders published a study that showed that using a weighted blanket such as the Gravity Blanket inhibited the sleeper from shifting around. With limited movement, the person slept soundly.
2. Stimulates production of melatonin
You might have heard of people taking melatonin supplements to help them fall asleep. They’re doing that for a good reason. Melatonin is a natural hormone that regulates a person’s circadian rhythm, or sleep-wake cycle—or body clock, if you’re more familiar with the term.
DTP induced by the Gravity Blanket triggers natural production of melatonin, which helps a person enjoy a better quality of sleep.
3. Imitates a warm hug
Don’t you just love it when a friend, a family member, or a sweetheart gives you a nice hug? It feels really good and calming, doesn’t it? Well, believe it or not, there’s a biochemical reaction involved there! When a person hugs you, your body releases oxytocin. This hormone lowers down blood pressure and heart rate, making you feel calm, happy, and loved.
That’s the same thing that happens when you lay under the Gravity Blanket. The weight mimics a hug, which helps you relax.
4. Reduces anxiety
It’s normal to feel anxious at times. However, persistent anxiety resulting from mental or psychological disorders is detrimental to many of our normal functions. An anxiety overload not only interrupts your sleep, but it can also cause more serious sleep disorders, mood swings, and weight loss.
Feeling anxious? Then lie down under the Gravity Blanket. Doing so prior to perceived stressful events can help calm your nervous system. The calming effect reduces your anxiety levels.
5. Alleviates the symptoms of restless leg syndrome
According to a Gravity Blanket review by a customer who is undergoing cancer treatment, she uses a weighted blanket for relief from restless leg syndrome (RLS). This is a weird and unpleasant feeling that something is crawling up and down a sleeper’s leg all night. In some severe cases such as those experienced by cancer patients, the person feels like his or her legs are being pricked with a hundred needles. Needless to say, RLS can prevent the person from having a good sleep. In addition, people suffering from RLS often complain of being fatigued.
Patients suffering from RLS mentioned that those unpleasant feelings are considerably reduced when they have something pressing down their legs. If that’s the case, then wrapping their legs with the Gravity Blanket will help solve their problem.
6. Lightens mood
Feeling sad and blue lately? Everybody feels sad, depressed, exasperated, or disappointed at times. Causes can be anything—trouble at work, heartbreak, illness, family problems, and more.
A holistic solution would be to cover yourself with the Gravity Blanket. The soft and consistent pressure stimulates the release of dopamine, or happy hormones. Stress levels go down, and you’ll feel better overall after a quick nap (or a whole night’s sleep) wrapped in a weighted blanket.
7. Addresses sensory symptoms
A lot of people all over the world suffer from mental or psychological disorders such as autism, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Although they have different ailments, a common denominator is hypersensitivity. They are very sensitive to all kinds of stimuli—small sounds, bright lights, misplaced furniture, and even the slightest thought that something might go wrong.
Many of these disorders are linked to low levels of dopamine and serotonin. Fortunately, as mentioned above, the application of DTP through the Gravity Blanket can help the body produce these hormones that can induce happiness, good mood, calmness, and relaxation.
8. Good for the elderly
Have you ever wondered why your grandparents are more “emotional” than usual? That’s a natural part of aging. As people grow older, they become more prone to chronic insomnia, anxiety, depression, and stress.
Growing old also brings about changes to their circadian rhythm. That’s why they often sleep late and less than a few hours at night.
Sleep researchers have found out that elderly people can benefit from using the Gravity Blanket. Test subjects find it easier to fall asleep, they sleep longer, and they feel refreshed when they wake up.
9. Good for pets
Do you know that pets can also get stressed out? Loud noises, strangers, loneliness, lack of attention from you—all these can make your fur baby an emotional wreck. However, putting a light Gravity Blanket on him can calm him down. It works the same way as it works with humans!
Pros and Cons
To further give you an idea whether you’d like to go right ahead and purchase your very own Gravity Blanket or not, here are some talking points about both sides of the coin – pros and cons:
Pros
- Free Shipping (applies to U.S. shipments only)
- Helps Prevent Interrupted Sleep
- Calms Down The Nervous System & Helps Reduce Anxiety
- Ideal For Both Adults & Children
Cons
- No Product Warranty
Unlike some weighted blanket brands, Gravity Blankets are not protected by a product warranty. However, if you’re unhappy with the product, their exchange policy details that you may return it within 30 days.
- Premium Price Tag
- Possibly Too Warm For The Summer
- Takes Time To Get Used To
So:
What do you think? Ready to give the Gravity Blanket a go?
You can have a look at further tips about weighted blankets to answer any questions that you might have it it:
What Does a Weighted Blanket Do?
A comfort object is a psychologically reassuring thing to have. However, if you had one when growing up, you may have grown out of it or it might have been irreversibly damaged, lost, or destroyed. The loss of a comfort object might be quite disappointing, regardless of how old you are. That discomfort or uneasiness may cause problems, the most common ones being sleeplessness and anxiety.
Other than that, adulthood brings about a host of worries and fears that sometimes leave us unsettled and unable to fall comfortably asleep.
Worry not because the Gravity Blanket is a proven and effective solution for all those sleepless, restless nights.
What are Comfort Objects?
You might have something that you always keep with you, no matter what. It could be a ragged teddy bear that you’ve owned since your childhood. It could be an old mesh curtain from your grandparents, and you get that ticklish feel when you rub your feet on it. It may be an old, out-of-tune but functional music box with a little fairy twirling on top of it, with the music lulling you to sleep. Or it could even be your spouse’s old but beloved shirt that you love to smell and sleep with.
Any of these things may be damaged or moldy (we hope not). But for some reason, you just don’t want to part with it. It’s difficult to explain, but you feel at ease and relaxed when you see, smell, touch, or simply feel them.
That unpartable thing is called a comfort object. Sometimes referred to as a security blanket or transitional object, it is an item that gives people a massive degree of psychological comfort, particularly during unique or unusual situations. In many cases, particularly children, a comfort object helps people fall asleep during bedtime.
What Comfort Objects Mean To Children
What is it in a comfort object that makes it so soothing and comfortable?
Well, it actually happens during childhood when the object takes the place of, or substitutes, the mother-child bond. The late Donald Woods Winnicott, pediatrician and psychoanalyst, pioneered this theory of transitional objects.
The theory states that when a child starts to evolve from absolute dependence to a state of relative independence, he uses transitional objects. You see, an infant first sees himself and his mother as a whole. When the infant grows, he starts to realize that his mother is actually a separate human being. The child subconsciously realizes that he “lost” something (his mother), and that realization brings in frustration, difficulty, fear, pain, and anxiety.
Because the child’s mother can’t always physically be there with him, the child begins to fantasize and associate a particular thing with his mother. In other words, the object becomes a substitute for his mother. Because the object symbolizes all aspects of “mothering,” it gives the child comfort, a feeling of security, and an assurance of safety.
Common forms of comfort items for children include:
- a blanket
- a pillow
- a stuffed animal
- a pacifier
- a toy owned since infancy
- a piece of clothing
But, since children are children, there have been some odd forms of comfort objects for some kids which aren’t exactly fluffy or soft: like a toy dinosaur, mom’s hairbrush, a keychain or an action figure.
Regardless of the shape or form of the child’s comfort object, however, child development experts say that there is always a deeper, psychological reason why a child seeks comfort in a particular object.
Why Adults Are Still Soothed By Comfort Objects
As the child grows into adulthood, he may continue to use the same comfort object. For him, that comfort object is essential for his emotional and mental well-being. It gives him psychological fortitude through the object’s representation of emotional attachments. It subconsciously lets him feel that “everything is going to be alright” in the midst of stress, uncertainty, anxiety, and fear.
As the person begins to strengthen his independence, mental strength, and emotional constitution, he begins to detach himself away from the comfort object. In other words, the person “grows” out of dependence from that object.
It is not just frayed childhood teddy bears, blankets, or pillows that make comfort objects. Every item that gives comfort, sense of security, and psychological and mental reinforcement can become one. That explains why you look at photographs, old records, paintings, or letters from the past as it may bring you some level of comfort.
If you still have your beloved teddy from childhood (albeit missing an eye and almost threadbare), you’re not alone.
In fact, this recent study shows that a third of American adults still sleep with a comfort item from childhood. And it’s not all about comfort items either. The same study also shows that a further 41% of respondents say that they’re unable to sleep without doing some sort of comfort before-bedtime ritual like locking doors, reading a book or eating a snack.
Regardless, it seems that wrapping up our busy days with an object of comfort or routine activities that help us relax before heading to bed happens to just about everyone. It helps us feel calm and ready to snooze.
But as common as it is, most adults will still usually outgrow a childhood comfort item and begin to seek comfort and relaxation in a more age-appropriate way.
That’s where the Gravity Blanket comes in. It’s a symbol of that comfort item you grew up with during childhood – a sleep aid designed to help give you thousands of nights of sweet sleep.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on your body weight. Most standard weighted blankets weigh between 5 to 30 pounds. The right blanket weight for you should be 10% of your body weight plus one or two pounds. So if you weigh 120 pounds, for example, you should get a 15 pound Gravity Blanket.
There are also weighted blankets designed for children. However, it is better to consult with a therapist or a medical professional if you plan to use one on toddlers.
We mentioned above that the Gravity Blanket can come with quite a price tag. All weighted blankets under the Gravity brand are 48 X 72 inches in size with the exception of the queen/king model, which measures 90 X 90 inches. Everything except the Queen/King size blanket is $249. You only need to choose your preferred blanket weight:
- Single 15 lbs.
- Single 20 lbs.
- Single 25 lbs.
The Queen/King Gravity blanket is 35 lbs. and costs $299.
No, you cannot wash the blanket itself. It should only be spot cleaned with a damp cloth. However, you can machine-wash the removable duvet cover using some mild detergent and warm water.
Conclusion
It is quite a surprise knowing how a simple, weighted piece of fabric can actually provide health benefits. But a lot of Gravity Blanket reviews from once-suffering customers do prove that these revolutionary blankets actually do a fantastic job.
Of course, a lot of research still needs to be done to finally prove that this holistic therapy can be done and used by everyone. However, there is a growing number of people who are suffering from insomnia, anxiety, RLS, and mental/psychological disorders ordering weighted blankets for their use. And a lot of those users swore that they are very effective. That is a solid testament to the products’ reliability.
So, do you have problems sleeping? Are you suffering from hypersensitivity, stress, and anxiety? Then sink in the warm and relaxing cuddle of the Gravity Blanket that is just right for you!
