Study finds weighted blankets ineffective for improving sleep in maltreated children

A study conducted by University of Houston sleep expert and psychology professor Candice Alfano has determined that weighted blankets, ranging from 5 to 10 pounds, do not improve sleep for children who have experienced various forms of maltreatment, including abuse or neglect.

The popularity of weighted blankets has surged in recent years, primarily based on the belief that the pressure from a heavy blanket induces feelings of relaxation and calm that aid in falling asleep. However, limited research has examined these claims, especially among children.

Prior to this study, whether weighted blankets might improve sleep among children in foster care—a population with high rates of sleep problems—had not been explored. The study by Alfano and her team, published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, involved 30 children aged 6 to 15 years old who were adopted from foster care in Texas. The participants used a weighted blanket for two weeks and their usual blanket for another two weeks at home in random order. Sleep was continuously monitored for one month using both sleep diaries and actigraphs—a wristwatch-like device that reliably tracks sleep-wake patterns.

"We were somewhat surprised to find no differences in either objective or subjective sleep variables based on blanket type, including total sleep time, sleep onset latency, wake minutes after sleep onset, or sleep quality ratings," said Alfano. "We also explored whether child age, sex, or maltreatment/trauma history might have influenced outcomes, but no such effects were found."

Alfano's research consistently shows that a significant proportion of children who spend time in foster care continue to experience persistent sleep problems even after adoption. These issues include difficulty falling asleep, nighttime awakenings, nightmares, and parasomnias.

"We have heard from at least some foster and adoptive parents that a weighted blanket has seemed to help their child sleep better," Alfano noted. "Childhood maltreatment can produce sleep problems via multiple pathways including hyperarousal of the body’s stress response systems and/or feelings of increased fear and insecurity at night. Theoretically, use of the weighted blanket might reduce these symptoms and improve sleep."

Despite these hypotheses, the research did not support them.

Alfano emphasizes that their study is not definitive. "Children who have histories of maltreatment are a very diverse group," she stated. "More well-controlled studies using larger samples of children are still needed."

The study was co-authored by doctoral students Anthony B. Cifre and Alyssa Vieira.