A comfy mattress, be it firm or soft, and a good pillow are all essential for a good night’s sleep but increasingly people are also buying weighted blankets to help them relax. A weighted blanket is exactly what it sounds like, a blanket that is heavier than your usual duvet.

They are normally filled with either plastic pellets or glass beads and their extra weight is designed to provide a light pressure that has a therapeutic effect, like being held, which for some, leads to a sense of calm, reduced anxiety and better sleep. Sensory integration theory suggests that deep pressure can have a calming effect on the nervous system which can help with a host of anxiety issues, troubled sleep, insomnia, restless leg syndrome and can even help calm people with an autism spectrum disorder.

What is a weighted blanket and how does it work? What are the benefits of a weighted blanket? Are there any concerns about weighted blankets? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to more episodes, click here:

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A Bababam Originals podcast. Written and produced by Amber Minogue.

In partnership with upday UK.

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37. Sissel Kyrkjebö, Short version