Most of the year, my suggestions to sleep under a weighted blanket to reduce night-time anxiety and increase quality of sleep are met with a bit of eye-rolling and some complaints about the typically high temperatures we all endure.  But now that the weather in Central Texas has finally shifted from “unbearably hot” to “just cool enough for us all to pretend we live somewhere with seasons,” it’s the prime time to encourage clients to embrace the calming power of deep pressure.   

Using weighted objects like blankets or vests, can help calm the sympathetic nervous system and release serotonin, providing clients struggling with anxiety with an increased sense of well-being.

For more information about why using weighted blankets could be a great coping skill for your clients:

http://www.medicaldaily.com/weighted-blanket-insomnia-anxiety-380924

https://www.jscimedcentral.com/SleepMedicine/sleepmedicine-2-1022.pdf

http://www.ptsdjournal.com/posts/sleeping-with-weighted-blanket-helps-insomnia-and-anxiety-study-finds/