A weighted blanket increases pre‐sleep salivary concentrations of melatonin in young, healthy adults

Abstract

Summary Weighted blankets have emerged as a potential non‐pharmacological intervention to ease conditions such as insomnia and anxiety. Despite a lack of experimental evidence, these alleged effects are frequently attributed to a reduced activity of the endogenous stress systems and an increased release of hormones such as oxytocin and melatonin. Thus, the aim of the present in‐laboratory crossover study (26 young and healthy participants, including 15 men and 11 women) was to investigate if using a weighted blanket (~12% of body weight) at bedtime resulted in higher salivary concentrations of melatonin and oxytocin compared with a light blanket (~2.4% of body weight). We also examined possible differences in salivary concentrations of the stress hormone cortisol, salivary alpha‐amylase activity (as an indicative metric of sympathetic nervous system activity), subjective sleepiness, and sleep duration. When using a weighted blanket, the 1 hour increase of salivary melatonin from baseline (i.e., 22:00) to lights off (i.e., 23:00) was about 32% higher (p = 0.011). No other significant differences were found between the blanket conditions, including subjective sleepiness and total sleep duration. Our study is the first to suggest that using a weighted blanket may result in a more significant release of melatonin at bedtime. Future studies should investigate whether the stimulatory effect on melatonin secretion is observed on a nightly basis when frequently using a weighted blanket over weeks to months. It remains to be determined whether the observed increase in melatonin may be therapeutically relevant for the previously described effects of the weighted blanket on insomnia and anxiety.

The effect of weighted blankets on sleep and related disorders: a brief review

“…Non-significant effects on subjective sleepiness and total sleep duration were observed in an in-laboratory crossover study. However, the significant increase of salivary melatonin in this study provided new evidence for the sleep-promoting mechanisms of weighted blankets ( 25 ).…”

“…Furthermore, a recent in-laboratory crossover study found that weighted blankets increased pre-sleep salivary concentrations of melatonin in young, healthy adults ( 25 ), providing new evidence for the sleep-promoting mechanisms of weighted blankets. Melatonin is released by the pineal gland and plays a critical role in sleep timing and anti-anxiety ( 60 , 61 ).…”

Non-pharmacological intervention in the treatment of insomnia – the efficacy of weighted blankets

“…Mechanizm leżący u podstaw obserwowanego zjawiska nie został zidentyfikowany. Jednym z możliwych wyjaśnień jest jednak fakt, że nacisk wywierany przez koc obciążeniowy powoduje aktywację skórnych aferentnych włókien czuciowych, przekazujących impulsy nerwowe poprzez rdzeń kręgowy do jądra miażdżystego [15].…”

The efficacy of weighted blankets for sleep in children with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder—A randomized controlled crossover trial

“…However, there is limited evidence on the effects of WBs in general (Bondopadhyay et al, 2021; France et al, 2018). To our best knowledge, only three randomized controlled trials (RCT) are available on the effects of WBs on sleep, showing that WBs reduced subjective sleep disruption in adults with psychiatric disorders (Ekholm et al, 2020), increase melatonin levels in healthy adults (Meth et al, 2022), but no objective impact on sleep among children with autism (Gringras et al, 2014). WBs improved sleep‐onset latency (SOL) compared with their regular blanket in two open studies in children with ADHD (Hvolby, 2020; Hvolby & Bilenberg, 2011); however, the possible benefits of WBs for children with ADHD have as yet not been shown in an RCT.…”

“…Despite weak evidence of effectiveness, the rationale for using WBs in practice stems from theories on deep pressure and sensory integration, where the weight is hypothesized to reduce the physiological level of arousal, anxiety and stress (Mullen et al, 2008). In addition, there is recently published evidence of WBs augmenting levels of melatonin (Meth et al, 2022), which might improve sleep.…”