Why I Love Weighted Vests
One of my favorite tools for building bone density is a weighted vest. When a weighted vest is worn, the bones react in a positive way. It encourages bone-building cells called Osteoblasts, which absorb more nutrients. Essentially, the combination of the vest's weight and gravity helps pull minerals into the bones and therefore strengthens them.
There are also some preliminary studies showing that weighted vests can help with anxiety. A weighted vest provides deep pressure stimulation (DPS), which activates the parasympathetic nervous system to promote calmness. This gentle pressure reduces cortisol levels, boosts feel-good hormones like serotonin and dopamine, which create a grounding sensation that helps ease anxious thoughts. It’s a simple tool that complements other relaxation techniques for managing stress effectively.
Start Small: Begin with a vest that weighs two to five pounds.
Aim High: Gradually increase to carrying 10% of your body weight.
Practical Use: Wear it around the house while cleaning or doing dishes to make it part of your routine.
Posture Benefits: The vest distributes weight evenly across your chest and back, promoting good posture without straining the body.
I started with a 4-pound vest and walked for 15 minutes. Over time, I’ve increased to 10 pounds for an hour daily.
The vest I use weighs four pounds. It came with six additional one-pound weights that you can insert into pockets in the vest. This allowed me to increase the weight of the vest gradually by adding one pound at a time.
This is the vest I use: https://amzn.to/4dXXBR9
Consistent, long-term use has shown significant benefits in studies, making this an easy and effective habit to adopt.