Weighted Blankets Shown to Reduce Anxiety in Hospitalized Patients

Use of a weighted blanket can reduce anxiety in acutely ill, hospitalized adult patients, according to new research in American Journal of Critical Care (AJCC).

“Weighted Blankets to Reduce Anxiety in Hospitalized Patients” found patients reported significantly lower anxiety after a short treatment session with a 15-pound weighted blanket. The study is unique in its setting and patient population, with no previously published studies examining the blankets’ use with acutely ill, hospitalized adults.

A team of nurses, supported by biostatisticians, conducted the small pilot study at Saint Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, part of BJC Health West Region. Co-author Marci Ebberts, MSN, FNP-C, CCRN, is program director of nursing research at the hospital.

Initially used specifically for patients with autism spectrum disorders, weighted blankets have surged in mainstream popularity in healthcare and home settings, offering relief from insomnia, stress and other conditions.

From March 2023 through February 2025, charge nurses worked with direct care nurses in a variety of inpatient units to identify potential participants who met the screening criteria. A nurse on the project team then reviewed the patient’s record for other inclusion and exclusion criteria and, if appropriate, spoke to the patient to explain the study and gain consent. The study’s final sample consisted of 54 patients who were randomly assigned to one of two groups.

Soon after a patient was enrolled in the study and provided consent, an initial anxiety rating on a scale of 0 to 10 was recorded as a baseline, followed by three assessments at 20-minute intervals during the hour-long intervention.

One patient group received the weighted blanket intervention during the first 20-minute period, followed by usual care guided by patient preference with no specific treatment protocol for another 20 minutes. The second group received usual care for 20 minutes, followed by the weighted blanket intervention. The intervention concluded with a third period of usual care for both groups to explore any lasting effect of the blanket on anxiety.

In both groups, the greatest change in the patient’s self-reported anxiety level occurred immediately after the weighted blanket period. A 3.6-point reduction in anxiety (on a 10-point scale) was observed with weighted blankets versus usual care. In addition, trends through the final 20-minute period, with usual care provided, suggest a continued, carryover effect of the weighted blanket after its removal.

A brief exit survey provided additional insights, with more than 80% of both groups finding the blanket calming; however, 26% found the temperature under the blanket too hot, and 33% felt that the 15-pound blanket was too heavy.

References:

1. https://www.newswise.com/articles/weighted-blankets-shown-to-reduce-anxiety-in-hospitalized-patients

2. https://aacnjournals.org/ajcconline/article/35/5/362/33138/Weighted-Blankets-to-Reduce-Anxiety-in

(Newswise/APC)