Can A Weighted Blanket Help With Weight Loss? (There’s A Catch)
October 19, 2022
Can simply using a weighted blanket help you to lose weight? Weighted blankets are becoming more popular in recent days, and it is thought by many that simply using one can cause you to lose weight. Can it actually be true?
A weighted blanket may help you lose weight in an easier way by decreasing stress and improving sleep, but just using a weighted blanket is not going to cause weight loss in itself.
Decreasing stress and improving sleep are without a doubt important, but there is more to the story.
Why Might A Weighted Blanket Help With Weight Loss?
Weighted blankets are primarily used for anxiety and sleep disorders, and if you decrease stress levels and improve sleep, your weight loss journey might become easier to achieve.
A weighted blanket provides deep pressure stimulation, which has a calming effect. The basic theory is that by reducing anxiety, stress, and getting better quality sleep, you may lose weight in a more efficient way.
Melatonin is known as a sleep hormone that is produced by the body, and a recent study has shown that using a weighted blanket can lead to a greater release of melatonin at bedtime.
Improving sleep and decreasing stress if possible is important, and by doing so, you are likely to see better results when it comes to your weight loss journey.
The Impact of Stress on Successful Weight Loss
Increased stress can impede weight loss due to a number of reasons:
When you’re stressed, you may make unhealthy food choices or eat more in general.
Stress can lead to sleepless nights, and as we know, poor sleep can have an impact on weight loss.
Stress hormone levels (such as cortisol) can increase fat storage.
Cortisol is a stress hormone called a glucocorticoid that’s released by the adrenal gland and plays a role in stress response.
In small doses, it’s necessary for survival. However, when cortisol levels are chronically high, it can lead to weight gain.
High levels of cortisol over time is known to cause weight gain by:
Increasing appetite
Slowing down metabolism
Causing changes in mood which can cause sluggishness
Contributing to insulin resistance and even Type II Diabetes
Chronic stress and increased cortisol can also have an impact on gut health. This is because when you’re stressed, your body produces less of the stomach-calming hormone called gastrin.
This can lead to digestive problems like heartburn, acid reflux, and gastric ulcers, which can all make weight loss more difficult.
Weighted blankets are thought to help decrease stress, which in turn will cause cortisol levels to decrease.
The Impact of Sleep and Successful Weight Loss
We know sleep is important for overall well being, but sleep is also essential for weight loss too as it has a direct correlation with appetite.
This is because when you sleep, your body releases hunger hormones called leptin and ghrelin.
Leptin is a satiety hormone that signals to your brain that you’re full and should stop eating.
Ghrelin is another hormone that has the opposite effect – it increases appetite.
So, when you’re not getting enough sleep, the levels of ghrelin actually increase, which can cause you to consume more calories overall, leading to weight gain.
The levels of leptin in a sleep deprived person will actually decrease, which is not good and will cause weight gain as well.
Getting an adequate nights rest also helps to:
Reduce stress
Decrease inflammation
Improve insulin sensitivity
Support a healthy immune system
Prevent excess snacking out of boredom
All of these things are important for weight loss as well, so that restful nights sleep is more important than you may realize.
Why Might A Weighted Blanket Not Help You Lose Weight?
A weighted blanket will not help you lose weight if you are relying on it solely to see results, and not paying attention to other important weight loss factors such as diet and overall calories consumed.
A weighted blanket can surely help you to sleep better and reduce stress, but it’s not going to cause weight loss in itself by any means.
Decreasing stress and improving sleep are without a doubt important, but you need to focus on what you are putting into your mouth on a daily basis.
Also, weighted blankets are typically used by people who have trouble sleeping that is caused by an underlying disorder such as anxiety, panic disorder, or insomnia.
So if you are already getting a good nights sleep and do not have any issues currently, a weighted blanket may not be necessary in the first place.
Weighted blankets are not an easy quick fix hack to lose weight, but rather a tool that may help you to get a better night’s sleep if you need it, decrease overall stress and anxiety, and feel more relaxed during the day.
Don’t Forget About A Calorie Deficit
Just simply using a weighted blanket and doing nothing with your diet is not going to cause weight loss. You need to start and maintain a healthy caloric deficit.
This is the most commonly overlooked principle of weight loss, calories in vs. calories out.
If you’re eating more calories than your body is using (burning), you will not lose weight.
A weighted blanket can help by decreasing stress and anxiety, which can help make weight loss easier and more achievable for you, but in order for it to have a real impact on weight loss you need to be in a calorie deficit as well.
There is absolutely no other way to decrease body fat and lose weight than with a calorie deficit and being calorie conscious.
You must start to decrease your overall calorie intake to a point that is below your amount of needed maintenance calories over time to see success with weight loss.
This is something that should be done in a safe and smart way, but it is totally achievable for anyone.
If you are unsure of how to create your own calorie deficit and want to learn more, check out the article below, it will tell you everything you need to know to get started.
Weighted blankets can be used to decrease stress and improve sleep.
Can that help you lose weight in an easier way? Sure. However, just using a weighted blanket on its own when you currently have no issue sleeping won’t do much good.
Also, you need to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight. Plain and simple.
If you are not paying attention to diet and only relying on tools such as a weighted blanket, results will not come to you.
There is no quick fix for weight loss. You must put in the work and focus on your calorie intake.
But, if you really put your mind to it, you can get it done.
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