Weighted blankets are a tool occupational therapists (OTs) often recommend for kids with ADHD, SPD, and autism spectrum disorders to help with calming. The weight is intended to provide proprioceptive input to the brain, which has a calming and organizing effect on the central nervous system.

A 2015 study in the Journal of Sleep Medicine & Disorders, for example, found that participants’ sleep time increased and night time movement decreased when they used weighted blankets compared with regular blankets.​ In 2006, a 32-person study in Occupational Therapy in Mental Health found that 63% of participants reported lower anxiety after using a weighted blanket and 78% said they felt more relaxed with the blanket than without.

Benefits includes reduced stress due to less nervous system activity, increased relaxation due to deep touch pressure, decreased anxiety and improved sleep etc.

Weighted blankets offer deep pressure stimulation, a form of touch pressure that feels like a firm hug, a massage, or swaddling. While research on weighted blankets is sparse, deep pressure stimulation has been found to calm adults and children with anxiety, autism, and attention difficulties, researchers say. ​

Many kids with ADHD also have sensory issues. They may seek physical stimulation as a way to calm down. There are other conditions that can cause these challenges. With all of these issues, weighted blankets can boost serotonin levels and help kids self-regulate and feel more relaxed.