system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5 why weighted blankets make people feel better?
gpt
I probably won't explain this well but it has to do with proprioception, or the "6th sense", one's awareness of body position in space. Things like pushing and pulling create propreoceptive input. When you see babies jumping in seats it's not only that they have too much energy or strengthening muscles, they're providing input to their brains- their feet hit the floor which puts pressure on their knees and hips. If you feel antsy and taking a walk helps you feel better, part of that is the propreoceptive input, same with crossing your arms tightly in front of you. Pressure is a good word to use. Straighten your arm, grab your wrist and push towards your elbow, or walk around on your toes and feel the increased pressure, that's proprioception. The blankets activate pressure points which increase serotonin and decrease cortisol which means decreasing stress and activating relaxation.