During my work in a clinic for child and adolescent psychiatry, I observed the use of weighted blankets in children with various mental illnesses and difficulties. The weighted blankets were used there, for example, as part of occupational therapy (a component of the treatment concept) or in daily inpatient life. With guidance and some "practice," the children were able to benefit from the calming and relaxing effect of the weighted blankets and used them, for example, in situations with high tension.

To elaborate a bit: After the birth of our daughter, we had several months with little sleep and many interrupted nights. When our daughter's sleep became calmer, my sleep remained restless for some time – as if my body was still "under tension" and "on high alert." The process of returning to restful sleep is still ongoing: I feel and see (through sleep tracking) that I'm still in light sleep a lot and frequently wake up briefly. As a result, I often wake up tired in the mornings. With the help of the therapy blankets, I've noticed initial improvements after just 3 weeks. I'm experiencing more restorative deep sleep and fewer overall wake-up periods. Of course, this didn't happen overnight – I also needed a few days to get myself (and my body) accustomed to the weight. Now, my husband and I "fight" over who gets to sleep with the weighted blanket.
My daughter also has a weighted blanket appropriate for her size and age – initially, she absolutely loved the cover's designs and adored the blanket from the start. From day one, she wasn't bothered by the extra weight and called the therapy blanket her "cuddle blanket." I find it interesting that she genuinely seems to perceive the extra weight as "cozy." I have the impression that with the help of the blanket and a nice bedtime ritual, she calms down well and no longer "thrashes and fidgets" as much, which makes it easier for her to fall asleep. As a baby, she also always had to be swaddled, so perhaps this is a similar effect for "big children."

In my opinion, the use of therapy blankets is conceivable in a wide variety of ways, starting from infancy. We live in a world with many stimuli, where everything is fast-paced and often associated with stress and pressure. This already begins with young children in elementary school or even kindergarten. Many people benefit from moments of peace during the day and restful sleep. Therefore, I see the use of therapy blankets not only in clinical settings, such as children's hospitals, therapeutic practices, and care facilities, but also with potential in the subclinical and preventative areas. By this, I mean people who have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, and/or experience professional/private stress. Chronic stress and often accompanying poor sleep are known risk factors for physical and mental illnesses. And of course, as in my example, for parents who want to return to more and deeper sleep after a prolonged period of stress. Because a prolonged phase of little sleep is simply physical stress, and that needs to be processed first. Of course, it is important not to view therapy blankets as a "cure-all" – a sustained lifestyle adjustment is also crucial if one experiences a lot of stress and suffers from sleep difficulties. Nevertheless, the therapy blanket can contribute to "therapy" and be a building block in improving quality of life.

Especially in current times, with the coronavirus, physical contact between people is even more restricted than it already is in our modern world. However, it should not be forgotten that our skin and nervous system can react very positively to physical contact when under stress. Hugging someone or holding their hand when they need comfort, holding a child to calm them – these are all tried and tested methods for stress reduction. A weighted blanket, among other things, simulates precisely this physical sensation and, due to this effect, is recommended for both medical/therapeutic and private use. Additionally, weighted blankets can be customized through various weight options, sizes, and designs. Models are available for private use at home as well as for hospitals, care facilities, and therapeutic practices, all of which can contribute to an increase in well-being.