Newsroom Hospital for Special Surgery

11 Best Weighted Blankets to Ease Stress and Anxiety

Tue, 04 May 2021 09:43:00 -0400

HSS occupational therapist Christine Rocchio Mueller MS, OTR/L, C/NDT discusses the effectiveness of weighted blankets for adults with Good Housekeeping.

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

Many users describe the sensation of lying under a weighted blanket as feeling like a hug. According to Rocchio Mueller, "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."Read the full article at Goodhousekeeping.com.

11 Best Weighted Blankets to Ease Stress and Anxiety

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 09:06:00 -0500

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.

Is There Actually Science Behind the Weighted Blanket Trend?

Wed, 30 Jan 2019 07:00:00 -0500

Total Beauty writes on the weighted blanket trend and examines the science behind this fad.

"There are limited studies providing data if weighted blankets help people fall asleep or mitigate stress," says Christine Rocchio Mueller, MS, OTR/L, C/NDT, an occupational therapist at HSS, who notes that while the research does mostly support the use, it's been focused on children with special needs.

The effectiveness may be related to deep touch pressure. "This therapeutic touch is a common modality used in occupational therapy practice. Within the literature, it's believed that deep touch pressure helps release serotonin and dopamine in the brain, this produces a calming effect by reducing excitability," says Mueller. "The change in arousal level can help an individual fall asleep or manage stress symptoms."

Mueller reminds readers to make sure the weight of the blanket doesn't impair the ability to breathe or move.

Read the full article at TotalBeauty.com.