Good Housekeeping discusses the effectiveness of weighted blankets to ease stress and anxiety, according to Christine Rocchio Mueller MS, OTR/L, C/NDT, occupational therapist at HSS.

“There is recent research suggesting they can help reduce or relieve anxiety," said Rocchio Mueller. For people who may not consider themselves anxious, yet still suffer from insomnia or sleep disturbances, Rocchio Mueller explained, "A weighted blanket might provide just enough physiological calm that it helps them relax to fall asleep.”

Many users describe the sensation of lying under a weighted blanket as feeling like a hug. "It is one of the most natural things to reach and hug a family member or friend when they are upset or anxious. While a hug might not solve all your problems, it often helps you feel better by calming your body which then allows you to think a little bit clearer,” noted Rocchio Mueller.

Read the full story at Goodhousekeeping.com.