There’s an effective method for dealing with insomnia: increasing the weight of your blanket. “What? Wouldn’t a fluffy, soft, and light blanket be less stressful and help you sleep better?” some might ask.
However, recent studies have shown that simply using a heavier blanket can improve symptoms for insomnia patients. A research team from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden conducted an experiment with 120 adults diagnosed with insomnia due to depression and anxiety.
The experiment
The research team randomly divided the participants into two groups. Group A used a heavy blanket (8 kg, or 17.6 lbs), while Group B used a light blanket (1.5 kg, or 3.3 lbs), and they used these blankets for four weeks.
The results
The results showed that only 3.6 percent of the participants in Group B, who used the light blanket, experienced significant improvement in their insomnia. In contrast, 42.2 percent of the participants in Group A, who used the heavy blanket, showed improvement — 10 times more effective than the light blanket.
Furthermore, after the experiment, participants were allowed to choose which blanket to take home (almost all chose the heavy blanket) and use it for 12 months. Those who initially used the light blanket and switched to the heavy blanket also showed improved sleep. After 12 months, 78 percent of those using the heavy blanket had improved their insomnia.
Why it works
According to the research team, the weight of the blanket stimulates the body’s muscles and joints, providing effects similar to acupressure and massage. Therefore, if you have trouble sleeping, try increasing the weight of your blanket to see if it helps.
Note: If someone finds an 8 kg blanket too heavy, a 6 kg (13.2 lb) blanket can be used instead.
The guilt of resting
Many serious, self-disciplined individuals feel guilty about sleeping and resting. Increasing the weight of the blanket can help. Once they want to rest, they feel guilty and anxious. These people subconsciously believe that “resting is slacking off.”
As a result, they always need to be doing something; otherwise, they cannot calm down. “Everyone around me is working harder… I must work hard, too.” “I slept for seven hours… I’m such a lazy person.” They push and blame themselves this way.
The importance of rest
For those who struggle with resting, I tell them: “Taking regular breaks to adjust your physical and mental health is also part of your work.” If you force yourself to keep working, fatigue will accumulate, and your health will gradually deteriorate. Eventually, you might need to take a long break, causing inconvenience to those around you. In this case, resting when you can is not slacking off, but something necessary for a responsible member of society.
Moreover, because you don’t rest, people around you might also feel pressured and unable to rest. If you are in a leadership position and work hard even on weekends, it can create unspoken pressure on your subordinates. Conversely, if you work on holidays as a young employee, your supervising boss might also feel compelled to come to the office. So for your own sake and those around you, rest and sleep well when you can. Remember, by resting and recharging, you can perform better when needed.
This article is excerpted from Shimao Publishing’s “Saving Anxiety: 62 Tips to Relieve Depression, Anxiety, and Fear,” by Yumiko Yanagawa.
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