From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.

When her husband gave her a weighted blanket to help her sleep, Rhonda James did not think it would work. In other words, she was skeptical. But five minutes after covering herself with the blanket, she was asleep.

“It felt like a really big hug,” said James. She is a banker who lives in Charleston, South Carolina.

As temperatures drop, a weighted blanket can be a popular choice to help you keep warm. But some people say the extra pressure of the cover also helps to ease their worries and fall asleep faster.

However, research on the effectiveness of weighted blankets is limited. The Associated Press recently reported on what is known about weighted blankets.

First, what is a weighted blanket?

Weighted blankets are filled with small glass balls, cotton or another filling. This makes them heavier than usual blankets.

Scientists may not know exactly how the blankets comfort, but they have a few ideas.

The heavy, even feeling from a weighted blanket may calm the brain’s fight-or-flight response, said Dr. Neal Walia. He is a sleep medicine expert at University of California, Los Angeles Health.

He said, “The evenly distributed weight on you tells your body…” you are in a “…calm environment.’”

The extra pressure also may cause the brain to release the hormone oxytocin. Sometimes called the “love hormone,” the body creates oxytocin during loving moments, such as hugging. Oxytocin can also lower anxiety, Walia said.

How do you use a weighted blanket?

For most healthy adults, experts say to choose a blanket that is about 10 percent of your body weight.

However, the blankets are not good for everyone.

For example, some people may find them too hot to use, especially during warmer weather.

People with breathing problems or disorders such as sleep apnea should check with a doctor before using a weighted blanket.

Experts say to not use weighted blankets for children under three years old. The weight can limit their movement and breathing.

Some people may not be able to buy them. They can be costly. A quality weighted blankets can cost between $50 to over $300. This depends on the size, weight and material.

Some people use them for other reasons than sleep. Rhonda James gets under her blanket to relax as she watches television or drinks a glass of wine.

Lucy Taylor, a writer from Wales, also uses a weighted blanket. Her anxiety increases during the winter. So, she uses her blanket during cold months to fall asleep. She says when her body is relaxed, her mind relaxes too.

Can weighted blankets improve sleep?

There is little scientific research on whether weighted blankets help with sleep, anxiety, or other health issues. The studies that exist involve small groups of people. And most of the study subjects are people with conditions including sleep problems, long-term pain, and mental and developmental disorders.

A study on 120 people with insomnia, an inability to get enough sleep, found that the weighted blankets helped them sleep better compared to a light blanket.

Another study considered 67 children with the developmental and brain disorder autism. That research found that weighted blankets did not affect the children’s sleep at all. However, it also found that the study subjects liked the weighted blankets more than non-weighted blankets.

A third study on 94 adults with chronic pain found that a heavier weighted blanket did not affect sleep. But it was better at reducing pain than a lighter blanket.

So, there is not much scientific evidence to support health improvement claims about weighted blankets. However, in most cases they also cannot hurt, sleep experts say.

Dr. Daniel Barone is a sleep medicine expert at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City. He suggests the use of weighted blankets to his patients after they try other traditional treatments and medicines.

“If it doesn’t hurt and it may help, it’s worth a shot,” he said.

And that’s the Health & Lifestyle report.

I’m Anna Matteo.

Adithi Ramakrishnan reported this story for The Associated Press. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English.

Quiz – Do Weighted Blankets Have Health Benefits?

Start the Quiz to find out

_____________________________________________

Words in This Story

blanket -n. a large warm usually rectangular covering used for beds

hug -n. to press (someone) tightly in one’s arms especially as a sign of affection

comfort -v. to give strength and hope to

response -n. a reaction of a living thing to a stimulus

distribute -v. to spread out so as to cover something

anxiety -n. fear or nervousness about what might happen

relax -v. to make or become loose or less tense

chronic -adj. continuing or occurring again and again for a long time