How to relieve stress with a blanket in 3 minutes

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

This easy way to relax isn't just for babies.

What is it about

Imagine caring mothers swaddling their babies before bed. It seems to make sense. Wrapping in a blanket or sheet so that your arms are pressed tightly to your torso and your legs to each other is a simple soothing technique that is not only available to newborns and babies.

This technique was popularized by an English-language Instagram account dedicated to a healthy lifestyle.

The blog compares soothing swaddling to rolling a burrito and gives instructions like this:

1. Take a blanket.
2. Wrap yourself in it, or wrap it up like a burrito.
3. Make sure to wrap your arms tightly.
4. Sit or lie down and breathe slowly from your belly.
5. Close your eyes, focus on your breath and the sensations that the burrito swaddling gave you.

The authors promise that this simple procedure will help you relax and reduce stress in minutes, if not seconds.

When the advice was first published, the account had a little over 30 thousand followers. In just a couple of days, their number increased 10 times - this is how people appreciated the anti-stress life hack.

Why do we calm down when we wrap ourselves in a blanket

At The Insider's request, psychotherapist Dana Myers explained how burrito swaddling works. The most important points in it are limitation of movement and heat.

Swaddling mimics the womb. We remember how calm and safe we felt before birth. The stable temperature, which is created by a blanket tightly wrapped around the body, also plays a role.

Psychotherapist Dana Myers comments for The Insider

According to the psychotherapist, swaddling is good for adults too. It reduces stress, reduces anxiety and improves our ability to adapt to life's circumstances.

How to properly wrap yourself in a blanket

To wrap up like a burrito, throw a blanket over your shoulders and grab a corner in each hand. Then cross your arms in front of you in a "vampiric" motion: like Dracula pulling his cloak over.

Sit on the couch or bed as if you're ready to go to bed. Without unrolling the blankets or letting go of the corners of your hands, bend forward and gently wrap your legs as tightly as possible.

Put your hands back in place and move them so that the blanket is just as snug against your shoulders and torso.

Don't try to wrap yourself up perfectly. First of all, swaddling should be a comfortable ritual, only then will it truly soothe.

Now close your eyes and watch your breath: take deep, even breaths in and out. Feel yourself immersed in a sense of security and warmth.

If you want, complete the procedure with relaxing music and turn on the diffuser with your favorite essential oil or, for example, lavender.