Which is Heavier: A Weighted Blanket or CBD?
By Lucas Kleven, shift lead at Hashtag Everett
Photo by CRYSTALWEED cannabis.
Just as everyone struggles at getting restful sleep at some point in their lives, we’ve all hunted around trying to find the best solution to sleepless nights and groggy mornings. The cannabis industry has a wide variety of different products that can help with sleep, but how do any of these stack up against something with a bit more science and research behind it?
Here, we’ll compare and contrast scientific and anecdotal evidence between weighted blankets and CBD, and help you decide on the best next stop on your seemingly-endless journey to a restful night’s sleep.
CBD
Let’s start with something more familiar: CBD. CBD, or cannabidiol, is well known in the cannabis industry due to its use in products aimed at being more medicinal than others. Hashtag sells products containing CBD in every section in the store.
If you need a quicker onset for the effects of CBD, we recommend a cartridge or some flower, whereas for those who need the effects to last longer, I would direct you towards edibles or tinctures.
Photo by Shubham Dhage
Users of CBD report anxiety and pain relieving properties, two factors that definitely help with getting to sleep. CBD has been studied to be helpful with reducing the symptoms of insomnia by itself, but is more effective with a 1:1 ratio of THC.
In my personal experience, I find CBD to be very helpful for sleep, especially when combined with other cannabinoids like CBN or CBG. Many of our guests specifically choose products including CBN for its sleep-aid properties, whereas CBG has been shown to be a powerful anti-inflammatory which can help with those struggling to sleep due to pain.
Weighted blankets
And in the other corner, weighing in at anywhere between 5 and 20 pounds … It's a weighted blanket! Invented in 1997 by Keith Zivalich, he discovered that when his daughter left one of her stuffed animals on him, the beans inside the toy weighed down on him and brought about a calming sensation, and thus the “Magic Blanket” was created. It was filled with beans and marketed to parents of children with autism (ASD), as it was found that these blankets are very effective at helping those with ASD get a good night’s sleep.
It wasn’t until those very same parents tried the blanket themselves that they realized how comfortable it made them feel and how much they wanted one in their size. Today, you can find weighted blankets used by those with anxiety, ASD, insomnia, and those who want to feel like they are receiving the best hug of their life while sleeping.
I’ve only ever used a weighted blanket once, and let me tell you, my experience in one word: phenomenal. It felt like the blanket was just holding me down and telling me, “You will be cozy. You have no other option.” The pressure from the blanket is evenly dispersed throughout your body, so things aren’t uncomfortable, either.
Photo by Slaapwijsheid.nl.
A study conducted in Stockholm, Sweden using a weighted blanket with chains in it found significant quality-of-sleep improvements in those who struggled with insomnia, depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety. These researchers even checked in on participants a whole year after and found that several of them were still using weighted blankets. Those that did choose to keep using the blanket maintained the increased quality of their sleep.
CBD vs. weighted blanket: an in-depth comparison for the sake of sleep
When we compare CBD and weighted blankets, we see some similarities: they are both helpful for sleep, anxiety, and generally feeling good. For your uses, more than likely you’ll have to try them both before deciding which one is best for you or finding out if either is helpful for sleep.
Both CBD and weighted blankets have a bit of subjectivity to them, so trying them out for yourself would be the best way to find out how effective they are for you.
Hashtag doesn’t sell weighted blankets, but we have tons of different CBD and sleep focused products that can help you start your journey to Sleepytown.
Products like Green Revolution’s Blue Raspberry Melatonin Doozies have 5mg THC, 5mg CBD, and 5mg CBN, also known as a 1:1:1, as well as some melatonin for a sleep-aid your body is more used to.
You can also try Pioneer Squares’ Pineapple Dreams if you’re looking for some more THC, as they do a 2:1:1 edible which means 10mg of THC and 5mg of both CBD and CBN.
We have several CBD strains such as Charlotte’s Web from Falcanna, Stargazer Myrtle from Raven Grass, and Gilda from Canna-Sol for those who would prefer to smoke and get an immediate CBD effect coursing through their bodies. You can find these products in both flower and pre-rolls at our locations.
Hopefully, now you’re a bit more prepared in your ongoing battle for restful sleep. Feel free to come to your local Hashtag Cannabis, and gather some of our finest products for sleep-aid, or maybe you’re now feeling inspired and educated and want to find a weighted blanket for you! I know I’ll be shopping for one sooner rather than later.
Let us know if this blog was of any help to you by commenting down below!
Works Cited
Baric, Verdrana. “The effectiveness of weighted blankets on sleep and everyday activities.” Wikipedia, 2023, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34184958/ca. Accessed 12 May 2024.
Ekholm, Bodil. “A randomized controlled study of weighted chain blankets for insomnia in psychiatric disorders.” PubMed, 15 September 2020, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32536366/. Accessed 11 May 2024.
Lowen, Torsten. “Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Cannabigerol in Rheumatoid Arthritis Synovial Fibroblasts and Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell Cultures Are Partly Mediated by TRPA1.” PubMed, 3 January 2023, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36614296/. Accessed 10 May 2024.
Ranum, Rylea M., and Mary O Whipple. “Use of Cannabidiol in the Management of Insomnia: A Systematic Review.” PubMed, 23 September 2022, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36149724/. Accessed 8 May 2024.