While COVID-19 is the current pandemic at the top of our minds, the feeling of pain is a constant battle for many in the world. What most people aren’t aware of is the fact that pain is both emotional and physical, hence why it has such a gripping effect on the body. Essentially what that means is that emotional pain can manifest physically in the body and vice versa.
There are different kinds of pain and Everyday Health describes chronic pain as the kind of pain that lasts for prolonged periods with seemingly no way of healing it permanently. Chronic pain affects most of the global population and many people struggle to relieve pain, aimlessly looking for any solution that will provide them with relief in that instant.
One solution which is often overlooked is the use of a weighted blanket, which is proven to provide relief to many of those who use it. Many use it to combat stress from a full day of work, to aid in dealing with their anxiety and depression, to help them reduce their blood pressure, to release the tension in their bodies, and to help with their sleep.
We will be outlining just a few ways that a weighted blanket can help you with relieving pain in the body and the different kinds of pain that it aids from mental disorders to physical disorders.
Types of Pain and How a Weighted Blanket Can Help Relieve Pain?
Pain Related to Anxiety and Depression
Both anxiety and depression tend to manifest physically in the body through different ailments and sores, and a weighted blanket goes a long way in helping to alleviate such pain. Some examples of pain related to anxiety and depression are the following pain: chronic pain, headaches, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), lower back pain, and various other pains as reported by Harvard Health Publishing.
We live in a world where many people suffer from anxiety and/or depression. In fact, the Anxiety & Depression Association of America stated that anxiety disorders are single-handedly one of the most diagnosed mental illnesses in the United States of America. It has plagued the current generation to a point where it has even become a part of the norm, and many go through life in a constant state of swaying emotions with very little control over them.
Depression, at its core, is a mood imbalance, thus there are many ways to relieve the effects of it. Using a weighted blanket can help with stabilising the moods in the body as it releases hormones, such as oxytocin and serotonin, which naturally make the body feel good. Individuals who deal with anxiety daily can struggle with falling asleep as a result of swirling thoughts within their minds and weighted blankets can help relax the body and thus the mind.
Pain Experienced During Pregnancy
In a previous blog, we touched on the usage of a weighted blanket for pregnant women. Weighted blankets are said to help with sleep discomfort within pregnant women, as they help to relieve uneasiness from various cramps and different aches. This is a huge help as pregnant women find it quite hard to fall asleep, due to the weight of the baby on their bodies.
Furthermore, a pregnant woman’s body naturally tenses up as a result of the increased heart rate and shortness of breath. Throughout the day, these aches build up in the body and form massive knots that make it even more painful to sleep. That’s why weighted blankets help so much as they instantly force the body to relax and calm down. In terms of whether or not it is safe for pregnant women to use a weighted blanket, the short answer is yes, but one should always check with a doctor before trying something new.
Reduces Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is often associated with chest pain and headaches as well as neck aches. One of the biggest dangers of high blood pressure is the potential risk of getting a heart attack or a stroke.
Weighted blankets aid in slowing down the heart rate which relieves blood pressure in the body and helps aid chest pain. This is because a special hormone called oxytocin is released into the body, which aids in this process. What’s interesting is that the same hormone is also released when you receive a hug from someone, hence why weighted blankets are so appealing as it essentially feels like a prolonged hug throughout the night. This paired with a healthy diet and healthy lifestyle is the best way to reduce the blood pressure within the body.
Pain Related to Tension
Weighted blankets aid in releasing tension in the body. There are various ways for tension to build up in the body, such as through physical illnesses, such as arthritis. Furthermore, without even knowing it, we tend to hold onto tension in our bodies from stress throughout the day, which naturally forms knots in our muscles that build up the tension in our bodies.
For example, sometimes people grind their teeth in the night and in turn, tension builds up in the jaw area. Additionally, some experience leg cramps in bed which leads to a night of restless tossing and turning.
As mentioned before, pregnant women tend to experience tension in their bodies as a result of having to support the weight of the baby inside them. One of the healthiest and safest ways to release that tension would be to use a weighted blanket, which instantly tells the brain to relax and calm down. Naturally, the body will let go of the tension in the body and you’ll feel the muscles loosen, hence why most people tend to really enjoy the benefits of using a weighted blanket.
Other Types of Pain
Pain with Restless Legs
Restless Legs Syndrome is an uncontrollable urge to move your legs as a result of a burning or itching feeling. A weighted blanket can help with regards to alleviating that pain as it adds pressure to the leg that causes the irritable feeling to lighten.
Pain with Arthritis
Arthritis causes an onslaught of pain to enter the body, such as joint pain, tenderness, and stiffness. This kind of pain can be unbearable to sleep with and as a result, a weighted blanket is a great option to help relieve and reduce symptoms.
Back Pain
This is a common type of pain, especially when situated in the lower back. Sometimes this occurs as a result of a hunched back or incorrect pillow usage. Using a weighted blanket forces your back to straighten out and remain in one position, which slowly allows it to align over time.
Fibromyalgia
This kind of pain affects the muscles and skeleton of the body, which causes full-body pain that hits the body in full force. As with any other type of chronic pain, fibromyalgia affects the motor functioning and sleep of an individual, so a weighted blanket can aid with healing the body while you are sleeping.
Nerve Pain/Nervous Disorders
Motor neurons are neurons that are found in the brain that communicate with your muscles, which is what allows for movement. When there is a pain in your nerves as a result of a disorder, this affects the neurons, which send incorrect pain signals to the pain. This can be extremely excruciating for a body. A weighted blanket can help by adding widespread pressure to the body which relieves the perceived pain, which the body is feeling.
Other Uses for a Weighted Blanket
Promotes Better Sleep and Relaxation
Weighted blankets help with providing peaceful sleep to those who use them. The increased serotonin in the body is the cause of this, and most are aware of the strong link between serotonin and melatonin, which is the sleep hormone.The increase of melatonin in the body leads to a deeper and restful sleep, which also helps improve the mood overall and helps you to feel a lot better in the morning.
Sleep is a great cure for many ailments and chronic pain as that’s when the brain is the most active. Deep sleep has the power to alleviate strong symptoms and pressure from the body as a result of painful illnesses.
There are different kinds of weighted blankets - some of which are filled with light pebbles, some with glass beads, and others with a variety of materials inside. Sunday Citizen fills its weighted blankets with glass pearls and natural crystals (Amethyst, Clear Quartz and Rose Quartz). The weight recommended is typically ten percent of your body weight - as this weight is ideal for helping the body release the relax hormones.
Weighted blankets are a great choice when it comes to combating various aches and pains. Check out our weighted blankets to get the relaxation you are looking for.
