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Weighted Blanket Increases Melatonin

posted by mrpg on Friday October 21 2022, @02:40AM   Printer-friendly
from the to-sleep-perchance-to-dream dept.

hubie writes:

A new study from Uppsala University shows that using a weighted blanket at bedtime increases melatonin in young adults:

Previous research has shown that weighted blankets may ease insomnia in humans. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Hence, researchers from Uppsala University in Sweden experimented with 26 young men and women to examine if the bedtime use of a weighted blanket increases the production of sleep-promoting and anti-stress hormones like melatonin and oxytocin. In addition, they investigated whether the bedtime use of a weighted blanket (12 percent of participants' body weight) reduced the activity of stress systems in the body. [...]

"Using a weighted blanket increased melatonin concentrations in saliva by about 30 percent. However, no differences in oxytocin, cortisol, and the activity of the sympathetic nervous system were observed between the weighted and light blanket conditions," says Elisa Meth, first author and Ph.D. student at the Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences at Uppsala University.

Journal Reference:
Elisa M. S. Meth, Luiz Eduardo Mateus Brandão, Lieve T. van Egmond, et al., A weighted blanket increases pre-sleep salivary concentrations of melatonin in young, healthy adults [open], J Sleep Res, 2022. DOI: 10.1111/jsr.13743

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 2) by number11 on Friday October 21 2022, @05:24PM (1 child)

    by number11 (1170) Subscriber Badge on Friday October 21 2022, @05:24PM (#1277753)

    I used to process alcohol a hell of a lot better than I do anymore. Now, if I drink more than 1 serving in the hour or two before bed, I'll fall asleep like a log, but jolt awake 3-4 hours later with a major blood sugar level spike.

    Interesting. I've noticed that too, though instead of jolting awake, I start feeling too hot. But go back to sleep after throwing the covers off. (And then start feeling cold after a few more hours.)

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  • (Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Friday October 21 2022, @07:06PM

    by JoeMerchant (3937) on Friday October 21 2022, @07:06PM (#1277766)

    >I start feeling too hot.

    I get that too... I assume it's high blood sugar doing it. But once it wakes me up it is about impossible for me to go back to sleep for at least an hour.

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