As a parent, you may have noticed the effect of sleep on your kid’s behavior and mood. Researchers have found that enough sleep is necessary for your child’s overall well-being. The studies have shown that sleep is as essential for your child as nutrition because that is when their brain cells communicate the best with each other.

But the most startling outcomes of the research are the repercussions of sleep deprivation for kids. As a parent, you may recognize that a child needs more sleep. However, after-school activities and electronics often come in the way of your kid’s bedtime.

That is why several parents take additional measures to ensure that their kids get enough sleep. Some parents adhere to strict schedules for their child’s after-school activities and bedtime. Many parents have also started using a weighted blanket for children who have trouble falling or staying asleep at night.

A weighted blanket is basically a type of anxiety blanket that simulates the feeling of getting hugged. It offers a sense of security to the child and helps them sleep peacefully through the night. In this article, we will discuss four crucial benefits of using a weighted blanket for your child.

Promote Growth

You may have noticed at times that your child seems to have grown taller overnight. If you thought that you are imagining things, you were wrong. Growth hormones are usually secreted by the brain when your kid is in a deep sleep. That is why infants spend more than 50% of their time in a state of a deep sleep, as it is essential for their growth.

Studies have shown that if your kid sleeps one hour less every day for four days consecutively, growth hormones become deficient. A weighted blanket reduces your child’s anxiety and ensures that he or she gets an adequate amount of deep sleep. Parents who use a weighted blanket to ensure that the child sleeps peacefully notice better growth rates.

Maintain Body Weight

Research has shown that children who get less sleep during the night tend to become overweight. When children do not get enough sleep, their brain stops secreting a hormone called leptin. The hormone is responsible for signaling a child to stop eating when he or she has consumed enough food.

Since a sleep-deprived kid’s brain will not create leptin, he or she will keep on eating. That is why children who do not sleep enough have more chances of becoming obese. But kids that sleep with a weighted blanket have shown lesser signs of gaining too much weight.

These children do not crave high-fat or high-carb foods, unlike the worn-out kids. Experts also state that good sleep ensures better blood circulation, which also reduces cholesterol in their bodies.

Fight Diseases

Children and adults produce a protein called cytokines used by the body to fight diseases and stress. Cytokines also make people feel sleepy and force them to rest so that the body can heal itself. That is why flu patients tend to feel exhausted. Studies have shown that the duration of sleep affects the production of cytokines in the body.

That is why kids who sleep with a weighted blanket can fight diseases better than sleep-deprived children. Well-slept children have also shown reduced blood glucose levels and cortisol, which means they have lesser chances of becoming diabetic or heart disease patients when they grow up.

Better Attention and Learning

According to pediatric researchers, children who sleep less tend to be hyperactive and impulsive. Studies have also shown a direct relation between ADHD and sleep deprivation. On the other hand, children who sleep with a weighted blanket tend to exhibit better attention spans for studies and other learning activities.

Peaceful and adequate sleep makes it easy for these children to handle their impulses and mood swings and focus on their classes and homework. Even when kids are sleeping, their brains are busy processing whatever they have learned while awake.

That is why children who sleep with weighted blankets can remember things better than the kids who are sleep deprived. Many neuroscientists suggest that kids should take a nap during their school hours to retain whatever they studied. Parents who use weighted blankets for their kids have also noticed that their children are less clumsy and tend to have fewer injuries.

It is not easy for parents to ensure that their children get enough sleep after their school activities and playtime. But many parents started noticing that using a weighted blanket is one of the easiest ways to ensure a good night’s sleep for their kids. That is why we suggest you use an anxiety blanket so that you can notice these benefits in your child.