- What is ADHD
ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, it’s a medical condition that affects brain development and brain activity which then affects attention, the ability to sit still, and self-control.
- Why ADHD Happens
There are three main causes of ADHD :
– Heredity
– Exposure to Toxic Substances
– Injury to the Brain from Trauma, Brain Tumors, Strokes or Disease
Researchers have found that heredity is one of the most common causes of ADHD so if one of your family members have ADHD it’s more likely that you/your kids may develop ADHD, the closer the degree of the relative that has ADHD to you the more likely you or your kids may develop it.
The development of brain tissue may get affected by exposure to toxic substances especially at a young age, researchers have found that mothers who smoke or drink alcohol during the period of pregnancy led their kids to develop behavior and learning problems.
Injury to the brain could be one cause of attention deficiency, lack of control on motor activity and impulses, while injuries may be a cause of ADHD it’s less likely and less common to be the cause of it.
- Ways of Treating ADHD
ADHD could be treated in two main ways (they can both work together):
– medication
– therapy
These are not cures for ADHD because there’s no known cure for it but these methods of treatment help reduce the bad effects of the condition on the brain.
The medical side of treatments cares about balancing the chemicals of the brain so that the patient could focus better and stay still and reduce the impulsiveness, while the therapy side works on dealing with the psychology of the patient so he can better control himself and reduce the symptoms of the condition.
Weighted blankets fall under the therapy type of treatments for ADHD, but first…
- What are Weighted Blankets
Weighted blankets are a type of blankets that are designed to be heavier than the regular blanket, it’s made up with multiple layers and filled with a material that gives it the weight that it needs to have, it can be filled with any kind of fillers ranging from dry foods to sand but commercially you will find that weighted blankets are filled with poly-pellets and glass beads, with poly-pellets being the commercial option and glass beads being the top-quality option.
Weighted blankets could be purchased from brands and companies that manufacture them or you could purchase them from a local sewer which sews them custom for you or you can sew them yourself which can be a thrilling experience.
- What is the Theory Behind Weighted Blankets
The idea behind weighted blankets is what is called Deep Pressure Touch therapy, according to Applied Behavior Analysis EDU deep pressure touch is “ firm but gentle squeezing, hugs, or holding that relaxes the nervous system. This pressure can be applied with the hands, special massage tools, or products that your child can wear or wrap around themselves to provide pressure.
Done properly, this therapy triggers a chain reaction in the body that releases an overall sense of calm and peace.”
Deep pressure therapy works as a way to calm the body down and to transfer it from the sympathetic nervous system to its parasympathetic nervous system, or in other words from “fight or flight mode” to “rest and digest mode”
Deep pressure therapy helps with sleep, focus, reducing anxiety and depression, and many more positive impacts.
It can take the form of hugs, massages, your pet laying on you, or it can take the form of products like weighted vests, weighted blankets, neck wraps, and others.
- How Weighted Blankets Help ADHD
So weighted blankets help with ADHD because it works as a therapeutic treatment to ADHD, it works by applying the principle of deep pressure touch to the ADHD patient which helps reduce the amount of stress and hyperactivity that the ADHD patient is going through by calming the nervous system and transferring it from the sympathetic nervous system to the parasympathetic nervous system.
This transformation allows the body to calm down and gives the patient the ability to focus and stay still so they can proceed with their activities in a natural way.
- Benefits Of Weighted Blankets for ADHD
So, what are the benefits of weighted blankets for ADHD? Weighted blankets help ADHD patients calm down and relax by giving them a deep touch which helps relax the body and the mind of the patient by calming the nervous system down and switching it from the “fight or flight” state to the “rest and digest” state.
This relaxation allows the ADHD patient to concentrate better and it helps reduce the general symptoms of ADHD.
Weighted blankets fall into one branch of the ways ADHD is treated which are medications and therapy, weighted blankets fall into the therapy side and provide a way to help ADHD patients a way to minimize the effects of the condition on their lives.
Bio:
Karim is a sleep enthusiast and the founder of bedsisland.com a website that is dedicated to helping you get the best out of your sleeping hours and eventually improve your life by improving the quality of your sleep in every possible way.
