Healthy sleep and a good night of rest are both crucial for optimal performance during the day. Without being able to recharge for anywhere from 6 to 8 hours each night, one cannot be successful in life, feel well, be in the mood for anything, nor finish things they are supposed to. As beings, just like most animals in the world, humans require around a third of their lifetime to be spent sleeping and resting. There is a reason why it is said that 8 hours of sleep are the optimal amount as it is a third of the 24 hours we have in a day. Whether or not one is able to achieve this nightly is another story but we should all at least attempt to do it.
Sleeping Troubles
All of this is fine and well and it works great in theory. You have 8 hours to sleep, 8 hours to work, and 8 hours to yourself. Easy peasy. However, what about those restless nights, insomnia, uncomfortable beds and pillows? What about stuff that prevents you from enjoying a good night’s sleep and continues to ruin your every day? Nobody wants to feel miserable and not be in the mood for anything. You probably know that feeling in the morning after a miserable night of poor sleep when you are thinking how you will be able to go through the day so tired.
Sleeping is not supposed to be tiring. That is literally the opposite of what it should be. Luckily, there are many things you can try that can help your cause and allow you to finally find some rest during the night. In this article we talk about one such sleeping product, the weighted blanket. You may have already heard of it, maybe not. This product is amazing, it has been proven to work, and it is more and more common in people’s homes. If you want to know how it works and how long it takes for one to change your life, keep reading this article. For more info on weighted blankets be sure to check here.
How Does a Weighted Blanket Work Exactly?
A blanket is a blanket, right? There is not much to it other than the fact that it is supposed to make you warm during the night when the temperature drops. Well, it also makes you cozy and it can give you some snuggly comfort whenever you wrap yourself in one. But that has to be it, right? Right? Well, with traditional blankets maybe, not with the weighted kind though. The very term “weighted” implies that it does more to increase your sleeping quality than a regular duvet, cover, or blanket.
It has been known for a long time, and science has proven it, that sleeping under a more weighted cover improves the quality of sleep. Not only that, but it can also reduce stress and anxiety of the person underneath. If all of these boxes are checked and you no longer have to worry about them, you will start feeling much more refreshed in the morning and ready to take on whatever the next day has in store.
Basically, the added weight of the blanket affects the deep touch pressure (DTP), something in our bodies that increases the release of the happy hormone serotonin, as well as melatonin, which is an essential hormone for feeling sleepy. On top of that, DTP decreases cortisol, the flight or flight hormone. Combined, these three chemical reactions in the brain and the body give you a cozier sleeping experience because you feel warm, as if a loved one is hugging you. And what better is there to make your dreams better than a familiar hug?
How Long Does It Take?
We sense a looming question on your end, one that would cover the most obvious concern you have. How long does it take for a weighted blanket to start working for me? How long will it take me to finally be able to sleep normally and actually get some rest during the night? Well, it is a change and a big one at that so you will need to give your body some time to get used to the new sensation while sleeping. Allowing enough time for adjustment to the additional weight may be a bit challenging at first, for the first few nights, but it will all fall into place soon thereafter.
You have to make sure not to rush the process. There is no way to rush it anyway, only allow it to work its magic. First off, you should start by using your new weighted blanket for shorter periods, like those lifesaving cozy afternoon naps on the couch. They are much shorter than sleeping during the night (at least they should be!) so they present the perfect opportunity to get used to the blanket and its weight. When you feel like you can use it for night-time sleep, it is a good idea to first cover half the body for a few days. Make it a week just to be sure. Of course, you can still use something else for the other half, a comforter or a regular blanket so that you are not cold.
Finally, after a week, you can start moving the weighted blanket up more and more every day until you are fully used to it and fully covered. Finally, to answer the titular question and give you a more concrete number, it usually takes around two weeks for the weighted blanket to start giving results. Human body usually takes between 14 and 21 days to get used to big new changes, so around 15 days is the most realistic expectation. Deep sleep will be half a month away for you once you get this amazing product. Who knows, maybe you will be one of those lucky customers who can get used to this blanket sooner. Some people make the full change immediately and never look back! Choose the right size, the right weight (10% of your body weight), and the right design to match your bedroom and you are all set for a new kind of rest!