The key to sleeping like a baby could be swaddling yourself like one.
Adult swaddling involves laying in the fetal position, being wrapped up in fabric from head to toe like a baby burrito and, when possible, being gently rocked by a partner or pal.
Adult swaddling provides gentle, even pressure across the body, a sensation known as deep pressure stimulation (DPS); unlike weighted blankets, swaddling produces DPS through compression rather than weight.
Kien Vuu, M.D., a Los Angeles-based physician and founder of Vuu MD Performance and Longevity, tells Fox News Digital, “The deep pressure stimulation can have a calming effect, reducing cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and increasing oxytocin, the comfort hormone. These hormonal benefits can be particularly beneficial for individuals with anxiety, PTSD, or sensory processing disorders.”
Among the reported feel-good benefits of swaddling?
- pain relief, specifically muscle stiffness and postpartum pains
- muscle relaxation
- improved posture and balance
- reduced stress
- improved sleep
A more extreme version of adult swaddling is already an established therapy practice in Japan, where it is known as Otonamaki, or “adult wrapping.”
Practioner Orie Matsuo previously told the BBC, “The reason why Otonamaki was invented was because some people were worried about babies struggling or feeling claustrophobic while being wrapped up. We thought if adults were rolled up like them, they could experience how good it feels.”
If you’re interested in going full cocoon at home, experts recommend using a thin, stretchy, breathable fabric. Airflow is crucial as the fabric will cover your head, and you’ll be wrapped for some time. In the more traditional approach to adult swaddling, you’ll need a partner or pal to help roll you up and rock you into relaxation.
Healthline gives the following instructions for partnered swaddling.
- Sit cross-legged on the sheet with your hands in your lap. About 10 to 12 inches of cloth should extend past your crossed legs.
- Have your partner raise the sheet behind you to make sure another 10 inches or so of cloth extend above your head.
- Have your partner place a rolled towel or other thick fabric behind your head before tying the first knot. This will make sure your neck is supported during the process.
- Have your partner raise the sheet up behind you, letting it drape over your head.
- Have your partner match one top sheet corner to the alternate bottom sheet corner. The top left corner would be matched with the bottom right corner, for example.
- Tie a knot with the corners. The knot should be tight enough to hold you in position and remain knotted.
- Repeat for the other corners.
- Have your partner pull up the loose fabric under your feet and knot it with the fabric draped over your head to completely cocoon you.
- Have your partner tie any additional loose fabric.
- Have your partner gently roll you onto your back or rock you back and forth. You may want to use a thin, flat cushion for extra support. This rocking is part of the swaddling therapy.
For those who live alone or prefer to keep their swaddling to themselves, there are commercially available full-body self-swaddles like the Shark Tank–famous Hug Sleep Sleep Pod.
A Wirecutter review notes of their Sleep Pod experience, “Slowly, the compression started to feel like a welcome, tender embrace from a loved one at the end of an especially taxing day, as opposed to a smothering, stifling hug from someone who doesn’t know when to let go.”
Swaddling, like babies themselves, is not for everyone, and those with claustrophobia or mobility issues may want to avoid the bedtime burrito action.
Experts urge anyone curious about swaddling to discuss it with their healthcare professional, particularly if they have an injury or other medical condition.
Labor and delivery nurse @_jen_hamilton_ has gained TikTok notoriety for her sacred mission to swaddle all manner of creatures, human and otherwise, including geriatric dogs and resistant chickens.
