Weighted blankets/improving night-time proprioception

[hannah]

Weighted blankets are apparently aimed mainly at ASD and ADHD etc. but essentially aimed at improving poor proprioception

I love feeling weight on my torso and find it really relaxing. I've not been doing much sleeping lately and have been thinking that maybe a weighted blanket would help. My proprioception is pretty poor.

However, I am a little concerned that it would be too heavy for some of my joints to cope with - my ankles and knees struggle with a really really thin standard duvet, as well as wrists that sublux v. easily so moving it is going to be tough!

I've tried sleeping wearing compression clothing but find that seams and wrinkles press into me too much so I keep waking up anyway - having said that I did try sleeping in a wetsuit the other night. It felt really good only the seams dug in and were too sore to sleep with. So if I can find a way to be compressed but not forced out of shape I might get a good nights sleep!

Does anyone have any thoughts on how I might be able to safely compress myself at night?

[barkingmad]

No...but thanks for the info on weighted blankets..might see if it works with my eldest!

[hannah]

On the basis that if it doesn't work for me I have a friend with restless leg syndrom who we reckon it should help, I am going to order a small blanket and see whether my torso can cope and benefits from the additional proprioceptional input. I will let people know......

[paw]

No thank you! I can't count how many nights I reach for my blanket to pull it up to my shoulders only to pull a shoulder out. That wakes me up in a hurry and I spend a long time awake and in pain.

If it works, post here as some others might find it helpful.

Hannah, with the compression clothing have you tried wearing them inside out so the seams are on the other side? It's worth a try if you already have some.

[loon]

I always have a heavy quilt on my bed, not weighted but 15 tog, and in the winter i have a fleece blanket under that, i find it much more comfy with a heavy quilt and i do really feel the cold when i'm still so need the warmth at night. I also find that tubigrips on some joints really help with proprioception, when the splint was removed following my knee op i found that when i turned over in bed i would leave my leg behind which twisted my knee but a tubigrip really helped make me more aware and it gradually stopped. I also find if my knees/elbows or anything have been particularly bad, wearing a tubigrip overnight sometimes settles them and the compression from them helps take down the swelling a bit.

[vamp_vintage]

Sorry if this is posted else where but I can't find anything on it and would like some one's opinion and see if any one else feels the same....

During the night as i'm lying on my bed to sleep i will suddenly feel like i'm standing and floating at the same time. I can also feel like i have been streached side ways and i can't move my arms because they are too light and i can't identify where they are in relation to my body and my legs feel none existant. My head feels like it's fallen to one side and sometimes it feels like it has fallen off my body. I've asked my mates to keep an eye on me one night when we were watching films and i was falling asleep. I woke up because i felt my arms drop off. They said nothing happened and that i was lying on my back and never moved the way i described. Is this a symptom of HMS or does any one else have this feeling?

It would be good to know if it's ligit. or if i'm veing a hypocondriact...

[nemonie]

I have chronic vertigo and disequilibrium. The episodes of disequilibrium can be a lot like you are describing, though they usually occur when I am wide awake (quote "Disequilibrium simply means unsteadiness, imbalance, or loss of equilibrium that is often accompanied by spatial disorientation.")

This website is a good source of info about this kind of stuff. http://vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/symptoms.php

My issues seem to stem from a combination of cervicogenic dizziness (caused by neck issues, in my case spinal hypermobility) and migraine related vertigo (the migraines are partially caused by neck hypermobility).

I also think a lot of people tend to get an altered perception of their body on the cusp of sleeping. Most people aren't aware of it or don't remember, but it may be that you have become more aware of your body due to the HMS, so have become more aware of this altered perception.

[Jess]

Vampire Vint I used to get that if I was laying flat, and dehydrated. I also found I was having innner ear problems as well.

I found by proping myslef up with pillows tucking my duvet under my knees so they are supported and my feet are tucked up so they are supported.
If I'm in a hotel I ask for extra pillows and towels as I cant fight with the duvet that is normally tucked in the bed so set myself up like i do at home but with towels and pillows.

[evenwen]

Hannah, did you find the weighted blankets helpful in the end? I can't sleep without weight on me and thick duvets are a nightmare during the summer so I'm very intrigued.

[pretzel]

Hadn't even considered this was HMS related but it seems so obvious now! I much prefer the weight of anything on me whether asleep or not, even the cat laying on me in bed is welcome. As a kid I always found the best nights sleep were the nights when I had an incredibly untidy bedroom and had to climb into bed under the cr*p on the bed. I may investigate this further.

[evenwen]

I used cuddly toys when little- then progressed to cats . Unfortunately they are both very roasty...

[nemonie]

Have a look at wool duvets - they are not weighted as such, but they drape differently from synthetic or feather/down ones and seem to hold you down more. Also they are bed bug and dust mite resistant and have like amazing heat properties - never too cold or too hot. Some studies have also shown that they improve sleep quality generally and in fibro patients.

[lil_miffy]

I've pondererd over trying weighted blankets for a while but they are so expensive.
Its mainly for my restless leg syndrome which can be very bad at times. The only thing that helps it enough so I can at least lie and rest (I can never sleep when it happens) is to put loads of tight tubigrip bandages on my legs and feet. The pressure on my legs really helps. I also have to do it on my arms as I get the same restless leg symptoms in my arms which is usually more severe than the legs. But wearing tight bandages for long periods at night is not good for circulation.

I tend to sleep with a few blankets on top of my duvet anyway becuase my flat is freezing on the night but also I seem to be mch more comfortable with alot of weight on me at night.
In terms of injuries from the weight I actually have less dislocations/sublux's when I have the extra weight than when I just have my duvet. I think its becuase its almost impossible for me to trn over in my sleep with the extra wieght so when I just have the light duvet i move alot more in my sleep which is when the dislocations happen.

I also find the extra weight helps my tummy pain. Its like having a permenant hand rubbing where the pain is.

Why dont you try adding weight with heavy blankets first and see how that goes before forking out for a weight blanket.
I know that when they are used by children with autism the weight has to be calculated according to their size and possibly is also to do with how severe their insommnia is or something. Anyway becuase of this you might have to do some researching to find out what weight and size blanket would be suitable for you.

Let us know how you get on becuase I might consider getting one myself if it helps you.

[OctoPaige]

Hannah,

Have you tried sleeping with your feet off the edge of the bed? That's how I keep my ankles from subluxing and my legs from subsequently rotating outwards.

Good luck!
~Paige

[trekster]

How about a sleeping bag, I've wrapped myself up in thinner blankets in layers then gone into a sleeping bag to get the pressure effect.
Bought a compression shirt today and was told you can wear them over other types of clothing, so if you had something in between would
that help with the seams problem?

Heard there was a NADEX conference that advertised some cool weighted stuff, including a weighted vest.

Another thing that helped is by being sandwiched in between 2 duvets .

If you do decide to go for the weighted blanket option, i find that having it over my torso feels strange
but doesnt affect my more bendy joints. Another thing to watch out for is that when im under my
weighted blanket I'm more likely to end up lying on 1 side that wakes me up early in the morning in agony
I think my body gets stuck in that position and the blanket stops me turning over again.

Saying that ive managed to throw my weighted blanket off my bed in my sleep before.