Review: Testing Quiet Mind’s Original Weighted Pillow

Quiet Mind’s 9-pound cushion makes meditation more effective

You’ve probably heard of weighted blankets. But what about weighted pillows?

Earlier this year, I wrote about my experience sampling Therabody’s SmartGoggles. The sleep mask-style headgear combines slow-wave vibrations and temple massage to help you relax. Perfect before bed, if you have a hangover or if he wants to meditate for 30 minutes.

Recently I added a product to my SmartGoggle session. This somehow makes the session even more effective (and we have the resting heart rate states to prove it). Quiet Mind weighted pillow. Here’s why you should add a weighted pillow to your health routine, and why I especially love Quiet Mind’s design.

What is a weighted pillow?

In contrast to standard bed or sofa pillows, weighted pillows are cushions filled with plastic pellets or glass beads that are designed to be heavy. Most are between 5 and 15 pounds. Similar to weighted blankets, which are touted to have calming effects, weighted pillows are meant to reduce stress. If you Google “anxiety pillow,” the search engine will bring up a ton of weighted pillows.

How can a heavy pillow make you feel calm? There’s actually science involved here. It boils down to deep pressure stimulation (DPS), the idea that when pressure is applied to the body, we can shift from sympathetic nervous system signaling (the system responsible for the “fight or flight” response) to sympathetic nervous system signaling. . The parasympathetic nervous system (the system that governs the “rest and digest” state).

In hormonal terms, you’re reducing cortisol and increasing serotonin. This process works because weighted products can simulate the feeling of a calming hug. A little bit of sensory stimulation can quickly make you feel more grounded and at ease.

This doesn’t affect everyone to the same level. Young people, people with autism, people with ADHD, and people with insomnia can all expect a more powerful experience with weighted pillows. (Here’s one study praising the effectiveness of deep pressure therapy.) And it also depends on the situation. Your pillow may feel firmer if you’re tired after a stressful day or feel vulnerable when opening up to friends and family. effective.

However, the general idea is that the weight of heavy products is not just a gimmick. And it may be especially useful for weighted pillows, considering you can actually hug them instead of just feeling overwhelmed by their weight.

Why we prefer a quiet mind

Quiet Mind founder Mikey Goldman has ADHD. He invented the product and found it useful in dealing with the “anxiety and stress of everyday life.” I loved this sentence in the About section of this brand. “Our story of bringing this company to market with so much incredible support is proof that magic happens when the ADHD mind is quiet.”

If you’re an adult looking for a weighted pillow, I can confidently recommend Quiet Mind’s Original Weighted Pillow, Medium (9 lbs.). If you’re buying one for a child, choose the smaller size (6 pounds). On the other hand, unless you’re tall or looking for a lot of weight, it’s best to avoid larger sizes. It’s huge.

However, medium is the perfect size. It’s heavy but easy to hug, soft yet durable. I appreciate that it has glass beads (instead of plastic) and the exterior looks like it will hold up over time. As mentioned above, I usually use it for meditation sessions with the SmartGoggles, but also as a laptop desk since the height happened to be perfect for resting my neck to relieve tension during stretches. I’m using. for it.

I admit that the price is high. For the same amount, he gets three brand new sleep pillows from Brooklinen. But if you think of this as a more specialized wellness product that you can add to your mental health toolbox, I think the price becomes a little more affordable.