that experts fear many of us may soon snap, leaving people around the world coping with a mental health crisis of catastrophic proportions.

Are you waking up more often these days from an unpleasant dream, even a scary nightmare? The phenomenon started about a year ago, not long after lockdowns began around the world, but nightmares have continued as quarantines and lockdowns stretched on, experts say. 

Weighted blankets, which range from 5 to 30 pounds, have been used by special needs educators and occupational therapists since the late 1990s, but have become mainstream in the last few years. The dominant theory is that weighted blankets provide deep pressure stimulation, triggering feelings of relaxation and of being calm.

Health advocates in the St. Louis area are reaching out to new moms, wanting them to know they are not alone if they are struggling right now.