Calmer under a weighted blanket: what four clinical studies found about anxiety

You are sitting on the sofa and your heart is racing, even though nothing is wrong. You breathe in and out calmly, as you have learned, and turn on the TV for some distraction. Yet it takes an hour for the restlessness to subside a little.

According to figures from the Trimbos Institute, 15% of adults in the Netherlands had an anxiety disorder in the year before the measurement; no other group of mental health conditions was as common. A weighted blanket is something people with anxiety may try. In western Sweden, people received one through healthcare, and people with an anxiety disorder kept the blanket longer than others, according to a registry study of 4,092 users.

This page discusses four American studies. In the first, from 2008, 63% of 32 adults felt less anxious after lying under a blanket weighing more than 13 kilograms. In a 2015 study, anxiety decreased in 60% of 30 patients on an acute psychiatric ward. In a 2021 study, anxiety scores and heart rate decreased in 61 psychiatric patients who chose to spend 20 minutes under a weighted blanket, but not in 61 patients without a weighted blanket. In a 2022 study, patients with an eating disorder were randomly assigned to receive a blanket or not; the difference was too small to draw any conclusions.

The first three studies point in the same direction, but they were small, and only the last was a randomized study with a separate comparison group. That study found no clear effect. Below, you can read what was measured in each study and what you can take from it.

Why these studies together

All four concern anxiety in adults and the use of a weighted blanket during a trial or admission. The first two came from the same research group.

Mullen 2008: the first trial

How the study worked

Thirty-two adults who happened to be available took part in this first trial; as far as is known, they were not patients. They lay under a 30-pound blanket, approximately 13.6 kilograms. The trial was intended to lay the groundwork for research in psychiatry.

For safety, the researchers measured blood pressure, heart rate and blood oxygen levels. To assess the effect, they used a brief anxiety questionnaire, a follow-up survey and skin conductance, a measurement of the skin that changes with tension.

What the researchers found

According to the researchers, the measurements showed that lying under the blanket was safe. Afterwards, 63% said they felt less anxious, and 78% preferred the weighted blanket to calm down. Skin conductance decreased in one-third (33%).

Study in brief

• Researchers: Brian Mullen, Tina Champagne and colleagues
• Year and journal: 2008, Occupational Therapy in Mental Health
• Country: United States
• Study type: exploratory trial
• Participants: 32 adults, apparently not patients
• Duration: lying under the blanket; exact duration unknown
• Blanket: 30 pounds, approximately 13.6 kilograms
• Source: Mullen and colleagues, 2008

Champagne 2015: on an acute psychiatric ward

How the study worked

The same group then conducted the trial with 30 adults on an acute psychiatric ward, using the same blanket. Safety was measured with and without the blanket. The patients reported their anxiety on the short questionnaire and with a rating from 0 to 10, and skin conductance was measured again.

What the researchers found

The safety measurements did not differ with and without the blanket, so the researchers considered it safe. According to the questionnaire and self-rating, anxiety clearly decreased in 60% of patients. Skin conductance did not show a consistent pattern.

Study in brief

• Researchers: Tina Champagne, Brian Mullen and colleagues
• Year and journal: 2015, Occupational Therapy in Mental Health
• Country: United States
• Study type: small pilot study, with and without a blanket
• Participants: 30 adults on an acute psychiatric ward
• Duration: during the admission, exact duration unknown
• Blanket: 30 pounds, approximately 13.6 kilograms
• Source: Champagne and colleagues, 2015

Becklund 2021: in a psychiatric hospital

How the study worked

In 2019, patients at a psychiatric hospital who were not actively psychotic could choose whether to use a blanket for 20 minutes. The blanket group consisted of 61 people who chose a weighted blanket of approximately 6.4 or 9.1 kilograms, or a 2.3-kilogram weighted lap pad. The 61 patients in the comparison group did not use a weighted blanket. Heart rate was measured before and after the 20 minutes, and participants completed a six-question anxiety questionnaire.

What the researchers found

Only the blanket group showed reductions in anxiety scores and heart rate. The difference from the comparison group was statistically significant, so it was probably not due to chance. The blanket's weight and the participant's sex made no difference.

Study in brief

• Researchers: Annette Becklund, Lisa Rapp-McCall and Jessica Nudo
• Year and journal: 2021, Journal of Integrative Medicine
• Country: United States
• Study type: comparison of two groups; participants chose for themselves
• Participants: 61 patients with and 61 without a weighted blanket, in a psychiatric hospital
• Duration: 20 minutes
• Blanket: approximately 6.4 or 9.1 kilograms, or a 2.3-kilogram lap pad
• Source: Becklund, Rapp-McCall & Nudo, 2021

Ohene 2022: for an eating disorder, with no clear difference

How the study worked

In 2018 and 2019, 23 patients took part from a unit in Denver where people with severe eating disorders are medically stabilized. They had anorexia nervosa or ARFID, another eating disorder in which someone eats too little, and moderate anxiety symptoms. Of them, 91% were women, and the average age was 26.

Randomization determined who received standard care only, including occupational therapy, and who also received a weighted blanket. According to the study registration, it weighed approximately 10% of body weight, and patients could use it as desired, except while eating, walking, or with it over their head or shoulders. Their anxiety was measured until discharge using a questionnaire, the Beck Anxiety Inventory.

What the researchers found

Anxiety decreased slightly more with the blanket than without it, but the difference was not statistically significant: with so few participants, it could just as easily have been due to chance. The researchers nevertheless write that a weighted blanket may help, but that is an optimistic reading of figures that show no clear effect.

Study in brief

• Researchers: Rachel Ohene, Christina Logan, Philip Mehler and colleagues
• Year and journal: 2022, American Journal of Occupational Therapy
• Country: United States
• Study type: randomized study with a comparison group
• Participants: 23 hospitalized adults with an eating disorder and moderate anxiety
• Duration: the hospital stay, 22 days on average
• Blanket: approximately 10% of body weight, available for use as desired
• Source: Ohene and colleagues, 2022

What these studies do not say

• Only the 2022 study was randomized, with a separate comparison group, and it found no clear difference. In the 2021 study, the patients chose for themselves; people who choose it themselves may expect more from it.
• In all four studies, the participants knew they were under a weighted blanket and self-reported their anxiety.
• These studies say nothing about sleeping under a weighted blanket at home for months, or about children. In any case, a weighted blanket is not suitable for babies or children under 3 years old.

How this fits with other research

In a Swedish randomized study of 120 adults with insomnia and a mental health condition, such as an anxiety disorder, people who used a weighted blanket were also less anxious during the day (the summary of that study). For anxiety before surgery or during chemotherapy, see the page on hospital studies.

Among psychiatric patients, a meta-analysis of eight randomized studies found a small effect on anxiety, and a review of nine studies also found less anxiety. Both 2024 reviews describe the studies as small and highly different from one another. The bigger picture is presented in the overview of all the research.

What you can take away from this as a reader

Do you experience a lot of anxiety? Then your GP is the first step. In these studies, a weighted blanket never replaced treatment. Tips for restless evenings can be found in this article about sleeping with stress.

In the studies, people used weights ranging from 2.3 to over 13 kilograms. For home use, the rule of thumb is approximately 10% of your body weight, a practical guideline and not a finding from this research (how to choose the right weight). You must always be able to remove the blanket yourself; if it makes you feel restless or short of breath, remove it.

Do you have an eating disorder or are you being treated by a psychologist or psychiatrist? Consult your healthcare provider first, and read the safety page.

Sources

Mullen, B., Champagne, T., Krishnamurty, S., et al. (2008). Exploring the safety and therapeutic effects of deep pressure stimulation using a weighted blanket. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 24(1), 65-89. DOI

Champagne, T., Mullen, B., Dickson, D., et al. (2015). Evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the weighted blanket with adults during an inpatient mental health hospitalization. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 31(3), 211-233. DOI

Becklund, A. L., Rapp-McCall, L., & Nudo, J. (2021). Using weighted blankets in an inpatient mental health hospital to decrease anxiety. Journal of Integrative Medicine, 19(2), 129-134. DOI

Ohene, R., Logan, C., Loresto, F., et al. (2022). Assessing the impact of weighted blankets on anxiety among patients with anorexia nervosa and avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder: A randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 76(6), 7606205100. DOI

Reviewed on 2026-10-12.

Written by Koen Dolron, owner of Novaline. Koen is not a doctor, and Novaline does not provide medical advice: this page is intended for informational purposes. The summary is based on the original publications, which you can read yourself via the links above. Are you unsure whether a weighted blanket is suitable for you or your child, for example because of a medical condition or medication? Consult your GP or healthcare provider first.

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