I stumbled onto a great idea for anxiety for me and for my pet [View all]

[Maraya1969]

https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2022/march/weighted-blankets

Maybe it was here that someone suggested to get a weighted blanket I can't remember but it came about 3 weeks ago and I love it. It is heavy and it somehow just makes me feel more peaceful. And now I decided to try it on my dog who has dementia and there is this pacing thing they go through and I swear he was sitting on his bed, (he also gets into this crying thing when he moves around trying to get a comfortable spot) and I laid the blanket on him and it was like I gave him a shot of Xanex. He just laid down and he is still there.

I had been bringing him up on the couch with me and he actually fell asleep a few times. This is a dog who would growl terribly when you went to pick him up. I couldn't figure out what to do with him.

Here is some information from the website.

"Wrapping yourself up in a blanket can feel like one giant hug — with the right blanket, that is. If it’s soft, warm, and cozy, that’s a good start. But have you ever thought about how the weight of your blanket affects how comfortable it is? A heavy, weighted blanket can actually be more comforting and even beneficial to your health than its lighter counterpart.

Weighted blankets vary in size, shape, color, and material, depending on what you prefer. They’re usually filled with tiny plastic pellets to make them heavier. Some blankets have just a few extra pounds on them, which are ideal for small children. Others may have 20 or more pounds added, which are better suited for adults."
How Do Weighted Blankets Work?
When you’re stressed, your heart beats too quickly. When this happens, it's important to look to stress relief and mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing, meditation to bring down your heart rate. The gentle pressure on your body provided by a weighted blanket can also help to calm you by activating your parasympathetic nervous system, which lowers your heart rate when you’re stressed.

A weighted blanket uses “pressure therapy”, a calm-inducing amount of pressure on your entire body, similar to the feeling of being hugged, swaddled, stroked, or held. The right size and weight of a weighted blanket depend on the person’s needs.

Here are four conditions that weighted blankets can help children and adults with.

What Conditions Can a Weighted Blanket Help With?

Anxiety
Sleep Disorders
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Autism