Whenever I’m stressed or anxious (which is regularly) one thing that always helps is to wrap myself up tightly in a blanket. Its even better if I can pile some weight on top too, like lying a mattress on top of me.
I’ve been doing this since I was a teenager and it works almost every time. The longer I do it for, the longer the anxiety busting effect. I can literally feel every muscle relaxing and sometimes even feel so relaxed I could fall sleep. From what I’ve read, this is well known in people who are on the autistic spectrum. But I’m not (as far as I know).
I guess it’s similar to the way people swaddle babies to calm them. Does anyone know if there is some some of physical/biological/scientific reason for this? Or am I just really weird?
Don’t think you’re being weird at all, and I think you’re onto something with the swaddling reference. Saw a video on a (possibly THE) horse whisperer, and gently restraining horses in a chute filled with rice hulls calms them. I suspect is just goes back to our infancy, but can’t prove it.
Your thread may well get moved since it seems something like this elicits opinion, but evades proof.
Temple Grandin wrote about this in one of her books, I think it was Thinking in Pictures. She had built a special “squeeze box” device to compress her body when she felt anxious. Of course this goes back to the autism connection you noted. She also designed some of her animal handling devices with this in mind as she believes that most animals are also calmed by this kind of whole body pressure.
Thanks for the replies. And for not thinking I’m weird, mind the gap. I imagine a lot of people would!
I’ve been reading through the links. I’d love a squeeze machine! It seems Temple Grandin had autism but it also works on animals too, so there must be a primitive reason for it.
I too think it’s a throw back to how it felt to be in the womb. The memory must still be there, I should think. Perhaps deep in the subconscious. The ultimate love hug!
The same principle is often suggested for dogs, oddly enough. Many dogs are upset by stormy weather, and wearing a tight garment called a thundershirt is supposed to have a calming effect.
(I’m not comparing you to a dog – just suggesting that there’s something universal about the idea).
I don’t believe I’m on the spectrum either, but when my daughter was small (around 2) she liked to crawl on top of me and fall asleep–or watch TV while I fell asleep. Sometimes I was on my back, sometimes on my stomach, but I found it relaxing to have that gentle weight. Maybe this is something many people respond to, autistic people more so?
My son is on the spectrum, and the effect is marked with him.
I am not, as far as I know, but I prefer to sleep with heavy blankets. They don’t need to be warm, but I like the weight. It helps me sleep.
I can report that the Thundershirt helps my mom’s dog. I can also report that trying to get a Thundershirt on my cat resulted in wailing (the cat) and blood (mine). Proceed with caution, is what I’m saying.
I did a quick check online and I’m not finding a lot of research on why compression helps, but there is a lot of material that accepts that premise. I’ll keep digging.
In the Temple Grandin movie, they showed her having to create experimental evidence that the hug machine worked. She had other girls at her school try it out and documented the results. Some of the girls found it relaxing, some were indifferent, and some had more “unusual” reactions.
I’m not sure why there would be that difference, but in the movie it seemed that some people found it comforting as well who weren’t on the spectrum.
I suspect that it has the same effect no matter where you are on the spectrum (whether at the “normal” end or otherwise). It’s only specifically called out for autistic folks because a lot of other calming techniques won’t work as well with them, so one that works equally for all is valuable.
When I was a kid, I **really **liked the weight of heavy blankets in bed.
I even once tried laying my brother’s French horn on top of the blankets; I tried to convince myself that it was better, but it really sucked (or should I say it “blowed”?).
I’m a member of a group that gives blankets to sick children at various facilities. Some members make “weighted blankets” for autistic children. These blankets have been specifically requested by certain facilities, so there must be some medical belief in their efficacy.
From there:
“The idea of weighted-blanket therapy, also called deep-touch therapy, goes back to a basic human behavior known to calm us — being held. Clinical studies suggest that when certain pressure points on the body are stimulated by touch, the brain releases serotonin. This neurotransmitter is responsible for regulating various brain functions, including sleep and mood.”
Ah, Temple Grandin, that’s who I was thinking about. Thanks to our less memory impaired respondents. I believe the movie I saw was “The Woman Who talks to Cows”, IIRC. I saw it demonstrated on a wild mustang I think, and the effect was remarkable. I do know when I’m at the dentist, and they put lead apron on me to shield x-rays it always felt strangely ok, and not just because I was reassured I wasn’t getting zapped.
Interesting observation–I don’t think I would ever have put it that way, but you’ve crystallized it for me–that heavy weight of the apron IS rather comforting.