Weighted blankets and their effects on melatonin secretion in the body
Sleep plays a crucial role in our health and well-being. But many people suffer from restlessness at night. One possible solution to this is weighted blankets, as a study by Uppsala University in Sweden shows. This study examined how using a weighted blanket can influence the release of melatonin in the body.
First of all, what is melatonin and what role does it play in sleep?
Melatonin is a hormone that plays an important role in the body's sleep-wake cycle. It is released in greater quantities in the dark and signals to the body that it is time to sleep. Melatonin therefore helps regulate our natural sleep cycle and improves the quality of sleep. It is often referred to as the "sleep hormone" because it can shorten the time it takes us to fall asleep and improves overall sleep quality.
Procedure: A total of 26 healthy young adults took part in the study. The procedure included two sessions as well as an adaptation phase and an adaptation night before the actual experiment. Before the start of the sessions, the participants were carefully accustomed to the experimental environment, including the use of weighted blankets and the lighting conditions. During the sessions, the participants received standardized food at 7 p.m. and were placed in front of two light boxes between 7 and 9 p.m. to control for possible influences on melatonin production. Between 9 and 11 p.m., the room lights were dimmed and saliva samples were taken every 20 minutes to examine melatonin concentration. Weighted blankets containing approximately 12.2% of the participant's body weight and normal blankets containing approximately 2.4% of body weight were used.
Fig. 1: Overview of the study procedure. Grey boxes represent the adaptation phases at home; in blue, the adaptation night is marked; in orange, the nights of the actual experiment
Participants: The study participants were a group of healthy young adults. The gender distribution was balanced, with 15 men and 11 women participating in the study. Special attention was paid to taking into account the menstrual cycle of the female participants in order to minimize possible hormonal influences on the results.
Results: The results of the study showed that the concentration of melatonin in saliva was much higher when using weighted blankets than when using regular blankets. Interestingly, this effect was independent of the time of day, suggesting that weighted blankets have a direct effect on melatonin secretion.
Fig. 2: Effect of the weighted blanket vs. normal blanket on the release of melatonin in the body. In blue, the weighted blanket (approx. 12.2% of the participant's body weight); in black, the normal blanket (approx. 2.4% of the participant's body weight)
Conclusion: The results of this study highlight the potential benefits of weighted blankets for falling asleep. Using a weighted blanket may positively influence natural melatonin levels and thus improve sleep. These findings are particularly promising as they could offer a simple and natural solution for people who suffer from sleep problems or want to optimize their sleep.
Would you like to try it out? Click here for the weighted blanket:
