A restful, uninterrupted good night’s sleep is something that eludes many of us. For some it’s insomnia or anxiety. For others, it’s sensory sensitivity or hot flashes during perimenopause that make comfortable sleep difficult to achieve. Among many solutions for sound sleep, weighted blankets have gained phenomenal popularity over the past few years.
Featuring Weavve’s Weighted Blanket
But considering Singapore's climate, you might wonder “are weighted blankets hot”? Despite their many benefits, one might justifiably hesitate to add another layer to their bedding. The good news is that sleeping cool and experiencing the deep pressure stimulation of a weighted blanket are not mutually exclusive. A weighted blanket with the right weight, fabric, and blanket filling will keep you cool and comfortable all night.
What Is A Weighted Blanket?
A weighted blanket, also known as a gravity blanket, is a heavy blanket weighing from two (2) to 13kgs. The weight and pressure of the blanket make you feel like you’re being hugged or held. This evokes feelings of safety, security, and calmness.
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Weighted blankets may have become a huge phenomenon only recently but they have been around since 1997 when Keith Zivalich created the very first weighted blanket. The idea spawned after his daughter placed a ‘90s cult toy beanie baby on his shoulder and he realized how cozy and comforting the toy felt. The calming sensation was so powerful that it drove him to come up with a beanie blanket.
The first prototype had pocket-like squares, each filled with the same amount of polly pallets for an evenly distributed weight throughout the blanket. At first, weighted blankets were only used in the special needs community, especially among people with autism and sensory troubles.
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But in 2018, they gained mainstream popularity and now they are touted as a scientifically-proven sleep solution that ensures restful sleep for anyone. But how can a weighted blanket help you, you may wonder? Allow us to explain.
Do Weighted Blankets Make You Hot?
Featuring Weavve’s Weighted Blanket
Given all the above factors and the country’s tropical weather, it’s only natural to wonder “are weighted blankets hot to sleep under?” The answer is no. Weighted or gravity blanket in Singapore might be heavy but they’re not necessarily hot.
The fabric, filling, and weight of the blanket determine whether it will be hot or not. These are also the most important things you should consider when choosing a weighted blanket. Even if you’re a hot sleeper, you can enjoy all the benefits of a weighted blanket and improve sleep quality as long as it’s made of breathable fabric and filler that allows better airflow.
Featuring Weavve’s TENCEL™ Lyocell Duvet
A good duvet can also be substituted for a weighted blanket. These two types of blankets, duvet vs weighted blanket, are often compared with each other for their sleep benefits. Another countermeasure for a weighted blanket that might feel too stuffy for your liking is to insert it into a cooling duvet cover. A TENCEL™ duvet cover with its comfortable and cooling properties works the best.
Nevertheless, there’s no reason to believe that a gravity weighted blanket is not for you. With a few tips up your sleeves, you can choose the right weighted blanket that suits your needs.
6 Benefits Of Using A Weighted Blanket
Many pieces of research have been undertaken to study the effectiveness of weighted blankets and they’ve all given the blankets a nod of approval. Here are some weighted blanket benefits.
Reduces Stress And Anxiety
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Weighted blankets give you a feeling of being hugged and cuddled. This deep pressure stimulation is known to reduce stress and promote the release of serotonin and dopamine — neurochemicals responsible for the quality of your sleep.
Promotes Calm
A calm mind ensures a restorative sleep. Remember that night before an exam or an important interview? You toss and turn, wake up several times during the night, and never get a proper shuteye. For some of us with an overactive nervous system, that’s the reality of every other night, only worse.
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But weight blankets have been observed to promote calmness and put the nervous system into a ‘rest mode’. A small group study concluded that 78% of individuals reported a calming modality after using a weighted blanket.
Fights Insomnia And Improves Sleep
Six (6) out of 10 Singaporeans reported to have experienced insomnia during the pandemic. This impacted not only their health but also their productivity during the day.
Good thing a comfortable bed can be a viable solution that can help people drift off to slumberland. For instance, one of the benefits of weighted blankets for insomnia sufferers is the reduction of stress, resulting in better sleep.
Featuring Weavve’s Weighted Blanket
Alleviates Chronic Pain
According to a 2021 study, weight blankets help reduce chronic pain. The deep pressure offered by a weighted blanket feels relaxing and pleasant on the muscles, alleviating the pain. While it’s not an alternative to medically prescribed medication, it’s definitely an accessible and safe home-based tool to help with chronic pain.
Helps With Autism And ADHD Symptoms
Weighted blankets were initially only used by individuals with autism and ADHD and their effectiveness is well-established. Weighted blankets mimic the feeling of a hug. This deep touch therapy is calming and soothing for people with autism and helps them sleep better.
Offers Relief From Menopause Symptoms
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Disrupted sleep, anxiety, and depression are something that women going through menopause commonly experience. Weighted blankets relieve all these symptoms and help you get a good night’s sleep.
What Makes You Hot At Night?
There are several factors that impact your temperature during sleep. Some of them are:
Room Temperature
Your overall sleep environment is the first thing that could make you feel hot at night. It could be your room temperature or thick sleepwear, or perhaps heavy bedding fabric that’s trapping in more heat.
Hormones
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This is often neglected but a fluctuation in your hormones may also be causing you to overheat at night. PMS (premenstrual syndrome), perimenopause, or pregnancy lead to a change in hormones, resulting in night sweats or hot flashes.
Medication
Some medications also raise your core body temperature without you realizing. Some antibiotics, diabetes medication, hormone therapy medication, aspirin and steroids are known to disrupt your body's temperature regulating mechanism.
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Anxiety And PTSD
Anxiety and PTSD are also observed to raise your body temperature. Hyperventilation and an elevated heart rate can overheat your body.
Pre-Sleep Activities
What you do before going to bed also plays a role in determining your body temperature. For example, indulging in caffeine or doing vigorous exercise too close to bedtime can also end up increasing your body temperature.
3 Factors To Consider While Choosing The Right Weighted Blanket
Hunting for the best weighted blanket in Singapore? Here are some factors you should consider before buying.
Featuring Weavve’s Weighted Blanket + Signature TENCEL™ Duvet Cover
Weight
Blanket weight is the first thing you should consider. The market is brimming with gravity blankets weighing from 2 to 13kgs. But should you get a mid-range blanket or go all the way out with a 13kg blanket? A general rule is to go with a blanket that’s about 10% of your body weight. If you weigh 70kgs, the ideal weight of your blanket will be 7kgs.
This general guideline ensures that you don’t feel overwhelmed with the weight and the pressure or experience unnecessary overheating.
Fabric
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A breathable outer fabric guarantees that you stay cool at night. Fabrics like cotton, bamboo, and TENCEL™ are natural, cooling, and moisture-wicking materials perfect for weighted blankets. Don’t go for thick and warm fabrics like fleece and flannel.
Filling
The filling is also a very important factor to take into consideration when buying a weighted blanket in Singapore. Glass beads are a great filler for weighted blankets suitable for our climate. Glass beads are cooling and don’t trap heat, unlike plastic pallets.
Featuring Weavve’s Weighted Blanket
Glass beads are small but heavier than plastic pallets which means that a fewer amount of glass beads can achieve the desired weight. The blanket doesn’t feel bulky but still offers you the right amount of pressure. They are also an environment-friendly option as opposed to plastic pallets.
Check Out Weavve’s Weighted Blanket
Featuring Weavve’s Weighted Blanket
Filled with lead-free micro-glass beads and hypoallergenic poly-fill, our weighed blanket is designed to give a soothing and cooling feeling. Our fine, precise stitching guarantees that the glass beads are uniformly distributed. This provides maximum comfort that will send you to a deep slumber.
It is also Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 Certified to ensure that every component of the product has been tested for harmful levels of over 100 individual substances from 17 groups of chemicals.
