Covering yourself with a thick blanket can help cure insomnia.

A new study adds to the growing body of scientific evidence that covering yourself with a thick blanket can help you sleep better .

A thick blanket will help your body feel like it is being hugged warmly while you sleep. According to new research led by a team from Flinders University and the University of Adelaide (both in Australia), this warmth brings three main benefits : boosting mood, reducing dependence on sleeping pills and improving sleep.

ScienceAlert on October 27 quoted the research team as saying that this evidence is strong enough for medical experts to officially recommend the use of thick blankets for insomniac patients.

Sleep better with a thick blanket - (Photo: Getty Images).

"In therapy, blankets are commonly used as a supportive tool across a range of ages, but there are currently no clinical guidelines for their use ," says medical expert Suzanne Dawson, who works at Flinders University.

The team reviewed 18 previous studies that analyzed the effects of sleeping with a heavy blanket overnight. Although the studies varied in detail and the number of participants, from 1 to 4,092 volunteers, the team compared the data to conclude that a heavy blanket had positive effects, such as improving sleep quality and the speed at which people fell asleep.

Curiously, the findings only apply to adults . The researchers say more research is needed to confirm the pros and cons of thick blankets for children, although some parents say their children seem more relaxed, less anxious and more focused on daytime activities if they sleep with a blanket.

In addition, when covering a child with cognitive difficulties with a blanket, parents should use blankets that the child can easily push away.

The team conducted the analysis with the intention of developing clinical guidelines for the use of thick blankets. They also wanted to begin formalizing some standards for blanket design, including weight and materials.

The team concluded that sleeping with a heavy blanket is a relatively simple way that most people can try to improve their sleep.

"Sleep is a basic human need. When a person does not get enough sleep, they can experience many health problems as well as increase the risk or make chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke and mental health problems worse ," said Ms. Dawson.

The study was published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy.