Weighted blankets can benefit those with sleep disorders, anxiety, ADHD, autism, and sensory processing disorder by applying deep touch pressure. Deep touch pressure increases serotonin and reduces nervous system activity to promote relaxation, anxiety reduction, improved sleep, and increased focus. When choosing a weighted blanket, it should be 10% of a person's body weight distributed evenly for maximum benefits.

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WEIGHTED BLANKET?
COULD YOU BENEFIT
Weighted blankets are exactly what they sound like - regular
blankets with extra weight added to them!
Weighted blankets can come in various
shapes and sizes and can be made from a
variety of fabrics and fillers.
What Is A Weighted Blanket?
FABRIC FILLING
Poly Pellets
Glass Beads
Rice | Barley
Flannel
Minky
Cotton
Who Can Use One?
Weighted blankets are for a wide range of people, but can have a
big impact for those with:
Sleep Disorders - 60 Million
Anxiety Disorder - 40 Million
ADHD -
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder - 6.4 Million
Sensory Processing Disorder - 3.7 Million
Autism Spectrum Disorder - 3.5 million
What do
these all
have in
common?
LOW SEROTONIN & ACTIVE NERVOUS SYSTEMS
However, weighted blankets are a great option for
those who deal with daily normal stress!
(All stats will be for USA)
Sources: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
How Do Weighted
Blankets Work?
The underlying science of weighted blankets are:
DEEP TOUCH PRESSURE (DTP)
Deep Touch Pressure is gentle pressure evenly
distributed on the body. It can be accomplished by:
Hugs
Weighted Compression
Vests
Weighted Blankets
Massages
What does
Deep Touch
Pressure
do?
1. INCREASES THE RELEASE OF SEROTONIN
2. REDUCES NERVOUS SYSTEM ACTIVITY
Serotonin is a chemical in the body that plays a
key role in:
• Sensory Gating and Processing
• Behavior Inhibition
• Appetite
• Aggression
• Sleep
• Mood
• Brain Development
Serotonin is also a necessary building block for
melatonin. Melatonin is important for healthy sleep.
Sources: 6. 7. 8.
What Are The Benefits Of
Weighted Blankets?
There are 3 major benefits of weighted blankets:
REDUCES ANXIETY
Whether it’s anxiety from autism, ADHD, PTSD, or
an anxiety disorder
IMPROVES SLEEP
• Faster to fall asleep
• Reduces anxiety
• Deeper Sleep
• Less movement during the night
IMPROVE FOCUS IN CLASSROOM
• “ADHD improved 18 to 25% with on-task behavior
while utilizing Deep Touch Pressure”
• Occupational therapists see the most
improvement from deep touch pressure when it
comes to staying on task, staying in seat and
attention span
Sources: 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.
How to Choose The Right
Weighted Blanket For Yourself
To get the full benefits of a weighted blanket, it’s important to
select a blanket that has the right amount of weight for you.
Of your bodyweight lbs
GENERAL RULE OF THUMB
SIZING CHART
For Example:
A child that weighs 50 lbs would be best suited with
a 6-7 lb weighted blanket.
50-60
Body Weight (lbs)
30-40
70-80
90-100
Blanket WeightEstimated Age (years)
110-120
130-140
150-160
170+
2-5
7-9
10-11
12-13
14-15
16-17
19-21
21+
5 lbs
7 lbs
9 lbs
11 lbs
13 lbs
15 lbs
17 lbs
20 lbs
brought to you by:
Helping you raise a happy and healthy child at Harkla.co
Sources:
1. http://www.healthcommunities.com/sleep-disorders/overview-of-sleep-disorders.shtml
2. https://www.adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics
3. http://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/facts-statistics-infographic
4. http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/statistics.html
5. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-06-09/au-
tism-costs-more-than-2-million-over-patient-s-life
6. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00207450590956459?src=recsys
7. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273229711000025
8. http://jmbe.bme.ncku.edu.tw/files/1961/public/1961-5094-1-PB.pdf
9. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1300/J004v24n01_05
10. http://www.ziboathene.dk/wp-content/uploads/G.Badre_.ResearchArticle.2015.pdf
11. http://ajot.aota.org/article.aspx?articleID=2247281
12. http://foa.sagepub.com/content/24/1/17.short
13. http://fileserver.daemen.edu/~rholmstr/weighted_vest_and_adhd.pdf
14. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1300/J006v24n03_04