Benefits Of Weighted Blankets For Fibromyalgia Symptoms
Weighted blankets can help provide comfort for those living with fibromyalgia. The gentle weight of a Bearaby blanket can help to ease tension and offer natural, soothing relief for certain symptoms, without the need for medication.
Bearassentials
Fibromyalgia is a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body.
People living with fibromyalgia may experience increased tension and have trouble sleeping.
Weighted blankets can provide natural relief for some of these symptoms.
Did you know?
Women diagnosed with fibromyalgia often have low levels of serotonin. Using a weighted blanket may increase serotonin production for a natural boost of joy!
Fibromyalgia can cause pain, stiffness, tingling in the hands and feet, anxiety, problems with memory and cognition, and headaches. A weighted blanket can naturally help to relieve some of the symptoms, by easing tension in the body, reducing anxiety, and bringing about deep, restorative rest.
What Is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that, for some people, can feel like muscle or joint pain. The exact cause is unknown, but it’s thought to be related to the chemicals in your brain, and the way the central nervous system processes pain signals. It’s a condition that’s more common in women, and most people are first diagnosed during middle age and older adulthood.
How Does a Weighted Blanket Help Fibromyalgia?
Weighted blankets work by using deep touch pressure (DTP) – the act of applying a gentle weight all over the body. DTP activates pressure points and increases the production of serotonin, the happy hormone. When serotonin levels increase, you feel more relaxed and eases tension in your body.
Serotonin is also a natural precursor to melatonin, our sleep hormone. When your body feels relaxed, it produces melatonin, which helps you fall asleep and stay asleep! Just like using weighted blankets for restless legs, fibromyalgia patients may find that a weighted blanket helps to alleviate tingling in their legs, and ease tension so they can relax into a deep sleep.
Are Weighted Blankets Safe for Fibromyalgia Patients?
Fibromyalgia patients tend to be more sensitive to physical sensations, so it’s important to choose the right weighted blanket weight. Your weighted blanket should be heavy enough to stimulate pressure points and produce the benefits of DTP, but not so heavy that it feels cumbersome or uncomfortable. We typically recommend choosing the weight closest to 10% of your body weight.
Treating fibromyalgia for Better Quality of Life
There are a number of treatment options for people living with Fibromyalgia, and a weighted blanket is just one of the things that can help. As well as prescribed medication, other suggestions include:
- Aerobic activity
- Stress management techniques, such as yoga or meditation
- Good sleep habits
- Cognitive behavior therapy, to treat depression or anxiety
Using a weighted blanket for fibromyalgia can be a great addition to your care routine. It can help with stress and anxiety management, ease muscle tension, and improve your sleep. Every person is different, but weighted blankets can provide a wonderful form of relief for many of the physical and emotional symptoms associated with fibromyalgia.
What is the best weighted blanket to treat fibromyalgia symptoms?
If you’re looking for weighted blankets to alleviate symptoms of fibromyalgia, it’s important to consider a few factors. The chunky-knit texture of our knitted weighted blankets equally distributes weight across the entire body, maximizing the benefits of DTP and allowing for deep and restful sleep. Moreover, Bearaby’s weighted blankets are hand-knitted with the utmost care, machine washable, and 100% biodegradable.
