Weighted blankets are blankets that have had small weights sewn into them, in an evenly distributed pattern. The goal is to put gentle physical pressure on the sleeping person. People who have sensory processing disorder — which includes many people on the autism spectrum — have found weighted blankets to be a tremendous help to calm them down and get them to sleep.
Hah! Well, this explains a lot. I have spent years trying to convince my husband that I truly, honestly can’t sleep without something heavy lying on me. That’s why I sleep under a heavy blanket and a heavy wrap on top of the blanket even in the summer.
Another thing that people don’t get is that I literally can’t function with overhead light. It throws me off, my brain slows down, I get irritable and confused, it’s not good. Imagine how hard it is for kids with sensory issues if even I’m only now figuring this out.