Updated: February 3, 2020
Anxiety can be best-described as a feeling of unease. It is often triggered by thought, but sometimes without thought at all.
It affects people in many different ways. People with anxiety often describe the general feeling as if a cloud were over them, casting a shadow on their thought. This is why anxiety is often described as a kind of darkness.
It’s important to note that anxiety is a normal human behaviour. Everyone experiences it, but some people experience it more often and more intensely than others. Anxiety becomes a problem when it starts to affect your life and well-being. You might experience insomnia, fear of social situations, a feeling of dread or impending doom, and physical symptoms like sickness and a rapid heart rate.
If you suffer from anxiety, you may know these symptoms all too well. The treatment for which differs from patient to patient.
One of the most promising treatments for anxiety is a therapy called Deep Pressure Stimulation (DPS). This is enabled by using a weighted blanket at home, which can be worn around the house or when you go to bed.
Deep Pressure Stimulation?
That’s right.
DPS applies gentle but firm pressure to the body, to simulate a cuddle or hug which can calm the symptoms of anxiety.
Simulate a hug with a weighted blanket.
If you have ever been cuddled after crying or when feeling worried, that feeling of reassurance and calmness is what DPS simulates.
DPS isn’t a new treatment. There are studies dating back over a decade which show its potential. The most notable of which are this 2008 study published in the journal Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, and this 2011 study published in the Journal of Medical and Biological Engineering.
These studies were conclusive – they found a significant majority of participants had lower anxiety when using a weighted anxiety blanket to enable DPS.
In the 2008 study, 78% of participants preferred using a weighted blanket versus other methods. The study also monitored vital signs, finding using a weighted blanket is both safe and effective at lowering electrodermal activity (EDA).
EDA is a reliable indicator of emotional state. Those suffering from anxiety and depression have heightened EDA, as this study shows.
**(Important: Visit the Koala Site…There is a £20 OFF voucher (NEW20) you add after the cart page (On mobile it can be difficult to find. Click “order summary” after the cart page to find the voucher code field). We don’t know how long this code will be active but as of today it is still working.)
Enabling DPS
The device for simulating DPS at home is a weighted blanket. In hospitals around the world, it is enabled with a squeeze box, otherwise known as a hug box, which applies deep-pressure to the body to calm emotional thought.
With studies showing DPS to be an effective treatment for anxiety, especially in cases of relieving immediate symptoms, enabling it is worth a go.
All you need is a weighted blanket to do this at home.
The Koala Blanket
The Koala Weighted Blanket was developed utilizing what we know about DPS to create what we believe to be the best weighted blanket on the market.
It is 7-13% of your body weight to provide the optimal amount of deep-pressure and it’s filled with thousands of tiny glass beads for even weight distribution.
The blanket is available in two sizes and two weights. The 6.8kg blanket is for anyone weighing up to 85kg, and the 9kg blanket anyone weighing over 85kg.
Choosing a size is just as easy: choose the 48×78 version if you have a single bed, or the 60×80 version if you have a double, king or queen size bed.
To make sure your anxiety blanket stays put in winter, we developed a unique tie and loop system which allows you to attach the blanket to your duvet. If using it in the summer, you can use the Koala Blanket with just a bed sheet or on its own.
Weighted blankets have helped many people suffering from anxiety. If you suffer from anxiety, it could very well help you too.
What you can expect
Using a weighted blanket for the first time is a surreal but positive experience. Because it conforms to your body, it feels as though you are being cuddled from all angles. This creates a genuine sense of calmness.
The weight of the blanket helps reduce movement in bed, and because you can feel it, it can also reduce the urge to move your legs.
There’s some research to suggest restless leg syndrome is directly connected to anxiety. If you suffer from restless leg syndrome, DPS has been shown in studies to be particularly effective when treating the symptoms.
You can also wear your weighted blanket around the house. Draping it over your shoulders is a great way to move the therapeutic benefits from room to room.
The Koala Blanket is a heavy weighted blanket, but it isn’t so heavy that it can’t be carried around comfortably. The heaviest Koala Blanket weighs just 9kg. This is suitable for those who weigh over 85kg. The lighter blanket is 6.8kg.
One of the most common questions asked is whether the Koala Blanket – and weighted blankets in general – are comfortable to use all year round. While we can’t speak for other products, we can speak for our own.
The Koala Blanket is designed to be used all year round. It is reversible with two different fabrics on either side. The first fabric is Ultra Soft Mink, for use when it’s cold, and the second fabric is Silky Bamboo, for use when it’s hot. Our blanket is cool enough to use in winter and warm enough to use in summer.
Will it work?
How your anxiety manifests itself is unique to you. A weighted blanket may help reduce your symptoms of anxiety, or it may not.
But it’s still worth a try.
Studies show that an anti-anxiety blanket can alleviate the symptoms of anxiety. Over half of participants in the aforementioned 2008 and 2011 studies reported as such. This is conclusive evidence that it works for the majority of people.
You’ve nothing to lose by giving the Koala Blanket a try. Give it a few weeks and see how it goes. Who knows, it could be a revelation for you.
**(Important: Visit the Koala Site…There is a £20 OFF voucher (NEW20) you add after the cart page (On mobile it can be difficult to find. Click “order summary” after the cart page to find the voucher code field). We don’t know how long this code will be active but as of today it is still working.)
