Calming blankets
Until a recent meeting, I had never heard of a calming or gravity blanket. I listened with an open-mind to what this new product is al about. Then I spotted someone whom I follow in the USA, mention about a calming blanket they had received and reviewed on their page. Suddenly I wanted to know more and find out more.
It would appear that there are many blankets out there on the market and like anything, they will range from poor quality to excellent. The blanket itself is constructed from natural materials like cotton or Bamboo and consist of a patchwork of squares which are filled with glass micro beads that are distributed across the inside of the blanket.
There were two companies that I looked at. One was the lovely Australian brand https://www.calmingblankets.com.au the other a UK company called Gravity Blankets UK http://gravityblankets.co.uk I have put below some extracts to explain a little bit about the product so that you can gain a better understanding of what they are all about. This is an extract from Calming Blankets, Australia.
Reinvent Your Sleep With Our Weighted Blanket...
Simply put, we love what we do and want you to fall in love with our products! That’s why we take special care to design weighted blankets that are unrivalled when it comes to comfort, usability, and the results. We are the top rated weighted blanket in Australia on both Product Review and Facebook*
Deep pressure therapy provided by the Calming Blanket can help relax and ground you. This concept is known to therapists, who have been using it for decades to help anxiety patients, PTSD, and people with autism. The added weight can activate the nervous system in a positive way, helping it identify where your body parts are in relation to the environment. This allows you to calm down faster, relax more easily, and sleep more soundly.
This is an extract from the UK Gravity Blanket website
“Gravity blankets should not be confused with thicker or down filled blankets because they are made with special deep touch technology that spreads even pressure all over your body.
The weight of the blanket, which equals to approximately 10% of your own body weight, creates a pleasant and satisfying sense of well-being when using the blanket at night. The result is a euphoric feeling of complete relaxation for your body and nervous system. Your body releases serotonin (happiness hormone) and melatonin (sleep hormone), so you can fall asleep peacefully or sit calmly while relaxing on the couch.
Both companies appear to be very good, according to their website in terms of their environmental footprint, in other words sourcing sustainable natural materials, good ethical working practices in the factories that these blankets are produced with fair wages and conditions for their workers. Yet no-one had put on their website anything about whether these blankets could be recycled when they are no-longer required.
So I did a little asking.
Calming Blankets as a company were super quick and responsive with an upfront and honest reply.
“They can be recyclable as they are glass but it would be an interesting process to get the beads out of each pocket. Our blankets are designed to be used for a long time though, not thrown out!”
Gravity Blankets replied with
“Thank you for your message!
Our company has a recycle system and we send glass beads return to Metal sandblasting companies.
I hope this information has been helpful and we are available for any further assistance!
Which got me thinking that the blanket as a whole could only be recycled if taken apart. I contacted our local council recycling department, who informed me that such a blanket could not be put out with normal kerbside collections for recycling as it technically contained mixed materials, textile and glass and would contaminate the process. Fair point.
Which made me conclude that due to its construction it isn’t fully recyclable, unless you wanted to go around every single stitched square and empty the beads out. Then you can pop the beads into a paper bag marked glass micro beads and the blanket as a textile.
However there is another option. Each blanket can be washed, so when you no longer have a need for it. Pass it onto a thrift or charity store, or donate it to an elderly care home or facility that may benefit from having them.
Equally the lovely people at Calming Blankets. Australia https://www.calmingblankets.com.au updated me recently that their blankets are
“Vegan friendly. We also have the bamboo range made from 100% bamboo lyocell fibre farmed from sustainable practices”
More information on their bamboo range can be found here https://calmingblankets.com.au/blogs/news/bamboo-weighted-blanket
I have yet to try one out for myself, hence the lack of review on here as to its health benefit of easing anxiety, stress and assisting in getting a better nights sleep.
I would be keen to see some trialled using a blanket from their Bamboo range of blankets, (which spent several months in development).
As Bamboo has a natural cooling effect, this could potentially be good news for menopausal women who experience hot flushes due to hormonal changes which can lead to fatigue due to the lack of decent and good quality sleep. As you know I am interested in the menopausal journey, especially as I am in the peri-menopause stage.
Equally as the warmer Spring & Summer months approach, I think this would be a great addition to replace the duvet.
If anyone has used one I would love to know your thoughts and what benefits it has brought you?