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Changed sleep according to weighted blanket adherence in a 16-week sleep intervention among children with

Maria Lönn1,2, Petra Svedberg1, Jens Nygren1

  • 1Department of Health and Care, School of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden.

Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine : JCSM : Official Publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
|April 24, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who used weighted blankets (WB) regularly showed significant sleep improvements. Adherence to WB use led to better sleep outcomes and reduced sleep problems in these children.

Area of Science:

  • Sleep Medicine
  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Behavioral Therapy

Background:

  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often associated with sleep disturbances.
  • Weighted blankets (WB) are increasingly explored as a non-pharmacological intervention for sleep issues.
  • Understanding the impact of WB adherence is crucial for optimizing their use in clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how adherence to weighted blanket (WB) use influences sleep patterns in children with ADHD.
  • To compare sleep outcomes between children who consistently used WBs and those who did not.
  • To identify factors predicting WB adherence and its effect on sleep quality.

Main Methods:

  • A 16-week sleep intervention study involving 94 children with ADHD (mean age 9.0 years).
  • Participants were categorized into WB adherent (≥4 nights/week) or nonadherent (≤3 nights/week) groups.
  • Sleep was objectively measured via actigraphy, with parent-reported (Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire) and child-reported (Insomnia Severity Index) sleep problems assessed.

Main Results:

  • Children adherent to WB use demonstrated early sleep improvements and acceptance within 4 weeks.
  • Adherent children showed significant reductions in parent-reported and child-reported sleep problems after 16 weeks.
  • WB adherence was associated with more stable total sleep time compared to nonadherent children.

Conclusions:

  • Early positive responses to WBs can predict adherence in children with ADHD.
  • Greater adherence to WB use correlates with more substantial improvements in sleep quality and reduced sleep problems.
  • Weighted blankets represent a potentially beneficial intervention for managing sleep difficulties in children with ADHD.
Abstract

Keywords:
actigraphyattention deficit disorder with hyperactivitylongitudinal studiessleep disordersweighted blankets

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