If there’s one thing that every anxious baddie out there needs, it’s a hug and something comforting to ease their minds. That could come in the form of a warm embrace from a significant other or something inanimate yet reliable, like a blanket.
With the fall season finally upon us, the signals in our brains are telling us to curl up and get cozy by any means necessary. But on the flip side, shorter days and less sunlight are simultaneously telling us to brace ourselves for the impact of seasonal depression before it hits. With all factors considered, there’s no better time than now to prep your cozy-girl season survival pack with one at-home companion that will never leave your side; it's a weighted blanket.
Consider a weighted cover to be your therapeutic hug in blanket form. Filled with materials such as glass beads, plastic pellets, or metal chains to make them heavier than regular blankets — ranging from 5 lbs to 30 lbs — these blankets are designed to provide gentle and even pressure to the body for a calming and soothing effect.
The concept behind weighted blankets is based on deep touch pressure (DTP) stimulation, which is thought to release neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, promoting relaxation and reducing stress and anxiety, providing a sense of security and comfort.
Having a weighted blanket alongside you through the chillier months can give you a comforting touch when you’re feeling the effects of touch deprivation or just need to relax after a stressful, anxiety-inducing day.
Take this as your sign to surrender to the soothing, comforting sensation of a weighted blanket, and add one of the below to your cart while you’re at it.
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xoNecole sat down with Luke James to talk about his latest series and all the complexity surrounding it—from the challenges taking on this out-of-the-box role to the show's depiction of the perplexing history of the relationship between Black Americans and police. When describing the opportunity to bring Edmund's character to life, Luke was overjoyed to show the audience yet another level of his masterful acting talents.
"It was like bathing in the sun," he said. "I was like, thank you! Another opportunity for me to be great—for me to expand my territory. I'm just elated to be a part of it and to see myself in a different light, something I didn't think I could do." He continued, "There are parts of you that says, 'Go for it because this is what you do.' But then also that's why it's a challenge because you're like, 'um, I don't know if I'm as free as I need to be to be able to do this.' Little Marvin just created such a safe space for me to be able to do this, and I'm grateful for everything I've been able to do to lead to this."
Courtesy
Them: The Scare, like the first season, shines a light on the plight of Black Americans in the United States. This time, the story is taking place in the 1990s, at the height of the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. While the series presents many underlying themes, one that stands out is Black people and the complicated relationship with the police. "For the audience, I think it sets the tone for the era that we're in and the amount of chaos that's in the air in Los Angeles and around the country from this heinous incident. And I say it just sets the tone of the anxiety and anxiousness that everybody is feeling in their own households."
James has been a longtime advocate against police brutality himself. He has even featured Elijah McClain, the 23-year-old Colorado man who died after being forcibly detained by officers, as his Instagram avatar for the past five years. So, as you can imagine, this script was close to his heart. "Elijah was a soft-loving oddball. Different than anyone but loving and a musical genius. He was just open and wanted to be loved and seen."
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Luke continued, "His life was taken from him. I resonate with his spirit and his words...through all the struggle and the pain he still found it in him to say, 'I love you and I forgive you.' And that's who we are as people—to our own detriment sometimes. He's someone I don't want people to forget. I have yet to remove his face from my world because I have yet to let go of his voice, let go of that being [because] there's so many people we have lost in our history that so often get forgotten."
He concluded, "I think that's the importance of such artwork that moves us to think and talk about it. Yes, it's entertaining. We get to come together and be spooked together. But then we come together and we think, 'Damn, Edmund needed someone to talk to. Edmund needed help... a lot [of] things could have been different. Edmund could have been saved.'
Check out the full interview below.
Luke James Talks Ditching Sex Symbol Status For "Them: The Scare", Elijah McClain, & Morewww.youtube.com
Featured image by Getty Images
