Weighted blankets lower anxiety in hospital pilot study

At Saint Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, hospitalized patients in a small pilot study reported a 3.6-point reduction in anxiety on a 0 to 10 scale after a short treatment period with a 15-pound (6.8-kilogram) weighted blanket, compared with usual care.

The setting matters. The researchers say no previously published study had examined weighted blankets with acutely ill, hospitalized adults. The approach had already been used in dental offices, inpatient mental health facilities and occupational therapy clinics, after first being associated specifically with patients with autism spectrum disorders.

From March 2023 through February 2025, charge nurses and direct care nurses identified potential participants across several inpatient units. The final 54 patients were randomly assigned to two sequences: weighted blanket followed by usual care, or usual care followed by the blanket. Usual care was guided by patient preference, with no specific treatment protocol.

In both groups, anxiety changed most sharply immediately after the weighted-blanket period. The final 20-minute assessment, conducted after the blanket was removed, showed trends suggesting a continued carryover effect. More than 80% of patients in both groups found the blanket calming.

So what changes in practice? The study points to a short, nonpharmacologic option that nurses could offer during hospital care, when anxiety can affect recovery, sleep and mental health. But the limits are concrete: the study was a small pilot, and comfort was uneven. 26% of participants found the blanket too hot, while 33% found its 15-pound weight excessive.