5 Best Weighted Blanket Options
Very few things come close to the simple and fulfilling joy of a proper night's rest, especially for anyone who would consider themselves a poor sleeper. Weighted blankets are one of the most effective ways to enhance relaxation when you need a good night's sleep. They've been known to work out for several people, albeit anecdotally, since most of the research and studies are still inconclusive.
Weighted blankets were originally used in behavioral therapy, to help patients who had anxiety disorders. This also included insomniacs and people who were generally "bad sleepers". The idea was and still is, that the deep pressure from a weighted blanket increases the amount of serotonin your brain produces, a hormone associated with feelings of calmness and happiness.
Consequently, weighted blankets have been buzzing in popularity over the last couple of years. While we do concede that there's not enough scientific data to back up the underlying efficacy, there's no doubt that a weighted blanket can provide just the right amount of psychological calm to help you relax enough to fall asleep. In fact, several users have described the feeling of lying under a weighted blanket as almost equivalent to a hug.
Here are 5 of the best weighted blankets you'll find on the market.
1. Quility Weighted Blanket
- 100% COTTON - Our adult weighted blanket is made with durable, breathable cotton material and a removable cover that's machine washable for...
- EVEN PRESSURE - The micro glass beads in this heating and cooling weighted blanket are evenly distributed to help promote relaxation as well...
- BETTER SLEEP - These weighted throw blankets for adults offer the warmth and comfort of a big hug. The gentle pressure is designed to reduce...
- 7 LAYERS OF SOFTNESS - The unique 7-layer design of our thick blanket ensures the highest quality for your peace and tranquility. A great...
- CHOOSE YOUR SIZE - Use our weighted blanket weight chart to find the right size for you. We recommend selecting a weight around 10-14% of...
The Quility weighted blanket is not featured as Amazon's bestseller by chance. According to the over 17,000 reviews on its page, this blanket is splendid to sleep under. The inside of the blanket is made of a cotton fabric, which gives it an incredible cozy feel. Its outer removable cover is made from synthetic fabric, which makes it machine washable, as well as very easy to change around.
The biggest draw to the Quility weighted blanket is undoubtedly the range of options from which you can choose. It comes in five sizes, six color options and eight different weights, from 5 pounds all the way to 30. This means you can always find a suitable option, whether you want to sleep under it at night, or use it a throw blanket when napping.
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2. Casper Weighted Blanket
- A breathable cover helps circulate air away from your body, keeping you comfortably cool.
- 100-night trial and free returns within 100 days of receipt of shipment for products sold by Casper.
This weighted blanket is yet another superb addition from the Casper. It is a throw-sized blanket, available in three different weights, and consistent with what we have come to expect from this brand.
It comes with a 100% cotton cover, which spots a rectangular grid design pattern, as opposed to the common square grid on others. Casper based the overall design of their weighted blanket on performance sportswear. As a result, its weight is remarkably evenly distributed, making it one of the best options you will find on the market. The inside consists of glass beads, including a polyester batting, which provides the actual weight of the blanket.
Casper provides a 100-night sleep trial for its users, including 1-year limited warranty. But on the flip side, this weighted blanket is not machine washable, but rather spot cleaned.
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3. Luna Weighted Blanket
- [Premium Quality Materials] Luna's soft weighted comforter is made of high quality, 100% Oeko-Tex certified breathable cotton and filled...
- [Get Your Deepest Rest and Relaxation] The quilted pattern holds the premium glass bead filling in place so you never have to worry about...
- [Made for Adults and Kids] Our weighted blankets come in Twin, Full, Queen, and King sizes, and in weights of 10 lbs, 15 lbs, 20 lbs, and 25...
- [No Stress Care] Luna weighted blankets are machine washable and the best way to care for your weighted blanket is to wash cold on a gentle...
- [Why Luna?] Luna has been a leader in comfort sleep technology since 2015, helping over 5 million people get their best sleep. Luna products...
If you are looking for a favorable starter blanket, you can hardly go wrong with the Luna weighted blanket. It is an ideal option for people who are starting out or are curious about trying out weighted blankets.
For just around $60, you get a 15-pound blanket that will offer you almost just as much as a pricier option. It normally comes in a standard size, but you can certainly find other variants on the market. There's also a vast range of colors to choose from. Users have been quoted severally saying that it seems like an actual blanket and it does feel like a standard comforter.
The inside of the blanket is filled using glass microbeads, as well as an additional polyester fill, while the outer cover is made from cotton. In addition, this is a machine washable weighted blanket that is fairly easy to clean and maintain. On the downside though, it does not have outstanding aesthetics. Therefore, if you are going for a theme in your bedroom, you might have to buy an additional duvet cover for the Luna weighted blanket.
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4. YnM Weighted Blanket
- [Innovative Design] The 7-layer system design adapts to the curve of your body for optimal comfort and the 4.7x4.7-inch smaller sections...
- [Unique Sleeping Experience] YnM provides a natural means of calming the body for a good night's sleep. It is a wonderful sensory blanket...
- [Sizing Guide] To get the appropriate size for one adult, take 10% of your body weight and add 1 pound. Please select a weighted blanket...
- [Duvet Cover] Soothing cotton/linen duvet cover, cooling bamboo duvet cover or warm minky duvet cover are available in YnM. From YnM you can...
- [Loops] It has 8 sturdy loops for securing the duvet cover (available separately) to prevent slippage.
The YnM weighted blanket is yet another of Amazon's bestseller that has one of the best price points of the options on this guide. It comes with a whooping 14 different weight options and sizes, all ranging from 5 to 30 pounds. Furthermore, you also have plenty of color options from which to choose.
It's made with 100% organic cotton material. The actual blanket is filled with glass beads, plus extra fiberfill and fabric layers that have pocketed quilts. This means that the final product remains evenly distributed after manufacture. However, the YnM weighted blanket does not come with an outer cover, which is sold separately.
YnM also recommends that children or people who are unable to move a heavy blanket on their should not use this weighted blanket, despite having smaller size options. All in all, this is still one of the most affordable weighted blankets you'll find on the market.
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5. Tranquility Weighted Blanket
- Brand New in box. The product ships with all relevant accessories
With this weighted blanket, Tranquility has really gone to town. Despite coming at a very modest price point, this blanket offers plenty high-end features; which certainly puts it among our top picks.
The blanket itself is filled with glass beads to ensure that the weight is evenly distributed at all times. Its outer cover fabric features temperature-regulating capabilities, which ensures a user never overheats when lying under it. Unlike other cheaper options on the market, it comes with a removable outer cover that can be cleaned using a household washing machine.
As far as color options go, it is only available in gray. However, you have 4 weight options to choose from, ranging from 12-20 pounds.
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What Should You Consider in the Best Weighted Blanket
Naturally, the most essential factor to consider in a weighted blanket is the sensation it gives when you lie under. In other words, how light or heavy it feels on you. After all, you are looking for a means to calm down and relax enough to fall asleep. Nevertheless, there are also a couple of other factors that you need to keep in mind to help you pick out the best weighted blanket for you.
It is important to consider these products might not be suitable for everyone. For instance, a hot sleeper might have a harder time falling asleep under a weighted blanket, especially if it doesn't have temperature control. Some users have also reported a feeling of claustrophobia or confinement when using such a blanket.
That said, if you don't fall under any of the mentioned subsets of people, and you are having a challenging time relaxing and falling asleep, a weighted blanket might be ideal for you. As you go through the options available on the market, you should take into account:
1. Price
Generally, weighted blankets are priced quite reasonably. Your average such blanket will cost around $100-300, regardless of the size option you go for. The price tends to vary depending on the weight that you'll go with. But you would also expect a weighted blanket of a high quality to cost more than your run-of-the-mill blanket.
Ultimately, your budget dictates the specific weighted blanket that you can and will buy; where the budget also includes the cost of shipping and delivery. Fortunately, you don't have to spend top dollar to get plenty of the benefits associated with weight blankets.
2. Weight
By and large, experts in this field recommend getting a weighted blanket that is around 10% of your own body weight. But this is not a fixed recommendation. If you get a blanket that weighs around 5-12% of your weight, you'll be mostly fine, and comfortable at that. If you want to find your optimal weight, just try out different blankets and see what works out best for you.
3. Quality Materials
As you would expect, a weighted blanket made from materials of a superior quality to your average blanket will cost a bit more. However, you can always rely on solid materials to give your more durability, hence a significantly lengthier lifespan.
On the other hand, lesser quality materials, such as cheap fabrics or plastic pellets, tend to wear out unsurprisingly fast, especially when you wash and dry them in household machines.
4. Cover Material
Different weighted blankets come in different covers. The cover normally determines your blanket's feel and texture. An organic cotton or microfiber cover produces a blanket with a pleasantly smooth feel. Covers made of fleece produce a plush and cozy feel. You can even find weighted blankets that have two different textures on either side. At the end of the day, the choice of cover material depends on your personal preference when it comes to the desired feel.
5. Ease of Cleaning
Nine times out of ten, a weighted blankets comes with removable covers for easy cleaning. These should be preferably machine washable and dried. On some occasions, you might need to wash the entire blanket. It only makes sense to get an option that be cleaned at home easily. As an alternative, you can also opt to spot or dry clean your blanket, if you don't want it to start wearing out prematurely.
6. Breathability
A weighted blanket is relatively heavy. Therefore, it can end up absorbing and trapping body heat when you are using it. The consequent overheating can be quite uncomfortable, especially when you are trying hard to fall asleep. The best weighted blankets are always comfortable for use. Some of the options on the market are even built with breathable cover fabrics and interior components that help to regulate your body temperature and keep you cool at night.
Frequently Asked Questions about Weighted Blankets
1. How do I pick out the ideal weight?
There's no straightforward answer for this question, since it mostly hinges on your body. As we suggested earlier in this guide, you can always work with the 10 percent of your body weight recommendation, certainly with room to wiggle.
But it is worth considering that cutting down or putting on weight can influence the comfort of your weighted blanket. In the end, no less, it's all about what you feel most comfortable under. Therefore, try out various models with different weights until you find your ideal option.
2. What size should I go for?
The most common size on the market is a 60 inches wide by 80 inches long weighted blanket, designed with a queen size mattress in mind. But as you would expect, there are plenty of variants out there, such as twin, full, king and kid-friendly. It really depends on a particular manufacturer. However, heavier weighted blankets tends to be wider and longer than lighter options.
3. Are weighted blankets safe for kids?
Ideally, we always recommend that a parent consults a medical expert before they pick out a weighted blanket for their child. Essentially, weighted blankets are safe for kids from three years of age, who weight at least 50 pounds. In this case, it would be prudent to stick the 10 percent general rule of thumb, leaning more towards the lower than the higher side. A weighted blanket that is excessively heavy presents a risk of injury for a child.