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Is a weighted blanket right for me?
I’m sure by now, you’ve heard of weighted blankets, and the benefits they provide. Maybe you’ve even walked by them in the store. Are they really worth it? Does it actually make a difference? Let me tell you about the blankets my daughter and I have, and how we picked ours, and what to look for when purchasing one. Whether it’s for yourself, a loved one, or even your canine best friend!
Thinking back to my not so great childhood, I built my own “weighted blanket” out of a stack of about 7 or 8 blankets and quilts. Not knowing the why at the time, it was partly because my part of the house was colder than the rest.
Being under so many blankets seemed to help drown out the rest of the world. It was my hiding place.
The benefits
The weight of these blankets, simulates deep pressure therapy, like a hug. This pressure gives you a sense of safety, calmness and comfort. They help promote the release of melatonin (helps regulate sleep), oxytocin (helps lower heart rate and blood pressure, and serotonin (the happiness boosting hormone).
Weighted blankets and the deep pressure therapy they provide, help alleviate symptoms like chronic insomnia, restless leg syndrome, chronic pain conditions, and even anxiety, stress and depression.
It’s like being hugged, but for an extended period of time.
First things first
Weight
It seems the industry standard is to go with a blanket that is 10% of your body weight. So for instance, if you weigh 180 pounds, you’d want one that’s 18 pounds. If you can’t find one that’s 10% exactly, try looking at a different brand or retailer. Usually they are manufactured in 5 pound increments. Consult with your physician first before investing, to make sure you don’t have any health issues that a weighted blanket would affect in a less than ideal way.
I was between weights, so I opted to go with the next available weight up. I weigh 185 pounds, and I ended up getting a 20lb blanket. I’m glad I did.
Care and Maintenance
You can pick between either a weighted blanket that is machine washable itself, or one that comes with a removable cover for machine washing. I don’t know about you, but I’m not up for trying to argue with a 20lb giant square pancake up into my washing machine, OR try to fish it out of there while it’s wet. And then wrestling it into the dryer? Ha ha. Nope. No way that’s happening.
So if you’re like me, putting a duvet cover on a normal un-weighted comforter is a task in itself, let alone adding 20 lbs of shifting weight to the ordeal.
Luckily, these blanket designers have figured out a system that works to make this easier, especially if you don’t have a helper. There are ties and loops sewn into the inside corners, of the cover and on the weighted part, so that you can tie the corners in and flip it right side out. These fasteners are also to help keep the weighted blanket from shifting around inside the cover. Genius.
I mean, trying to toss and turn at night have now become part of my strength training program thanks to the added heft of my new blanket. No need to get carried away. he he 🙂
I opted for the ones with the washable covers, for both my daughter and myself, for ease of washing. We do have two cats and two dogs, so it only made sense.
This brings me to the next feature, that makes putting the covers back on a totally doable task, even if you have no helpers nearby.
The blankets with the removable covers have some sort of anchoring points sewn into the inside of the cover, and the outside corners of the blanket itself, to secure it and keep it from shifting all over the place. They also make it super simple to get your newly laundered cover reinstalled.
All you do is turn your cover inside out, spread it out on your bed, and spread the weighted blanket in the same direction on top of the inside out cover. Fasten the corner anchors, whether they’re snaps, ties, etc., and pull the bottom layer of the cover back under the blanket to turn it right side out again. Then fasten or zip the top edge of the cover together and you’re done. Plus, the weight of the blanket helps hold the cover in place while you’re pulling the cover back under the blanket. Ta da!
Temperature
I don’t know about you, but I have a heated blanket on my bed. That I use. everyday. All. Year. Long. Non-negotiable.
But I didn’t want a blanket that would make me over heat. I know, I know. I have an electric blanket! Don’t judge me because my body’s temperature regulating abilities are sketchy at best.
Weighted blankets come in a variety of fabrics, textures, and layers. Be sure to pick one that either comes with two different covers, one for winter and one for summer, or one that is made of breathable material such as cotton, or bamboo, and better suited for all seasons.
In addition, you’ll also want to take into consideration your sleeping preferences, whether you like to be warmer or cooler.
Size
Sizes also vary, from a toddler size blanket that weighs just a few pounds (great for anxious dogs I might add, especially if there are dinosaurs printed on it), to king sized blankets that can weigh up to 35 or 40lbs.
It all depends on your intended use, whether you want to use it for a blanket on your bed for sleeping, a throw size for snuggling under on the couch, or a small, lap sized blanket for work or travel.
If you have a significant other, you could get one that’s big enough for you both to share!
There are even shoulder wraps and eye masks that are weighted.
I decided on the Quility Premium Cotton 60 by 80 in for Full Size Bed 20 lbs Adult Weighted Blanket Grey with Removable Duvet Cover in Aqua for myself. It’s got a removable, washable cover, it’s soft, it’s pretty, and it was very reasonably priced for the options I chose.
For my daughter, I chose this one, the Bare Home Duvet Cover for Weighted Blanket (80″x 87″) Blanket Cover Oversize, Ultra-Soft Minky Removable and Washable, Diamond Pattern in Grey, with this weighted blanket. Also reasonably priced for the options I chose. So far it’s been a great fit for her.
Remember, you don’t have to settle on just one either. Having multiple weights, sizes and styles means you won’t have to be without!
For your canine companion
Weighted blankets can also instill calm in an anxious or nervous dog during thunderstorms, fireworks, or even noisy campgrounds. If you have a nervous canine, try putting a section of your weighted blanket on them for a few minutes the next time they’re anxious. You’ll be able to tell within just a few minutes if it helps them. It’s the same concept as the snug shirts made for dogs. It gives them a sense of security, like a big warm hug.
I hope this helps you decide if a weighted blanket is right for you. I love my weighted blanket and I can’t imagine sleeping without it.
If you try one, or four, or eleven, and you can’t find one you truly love, you can donate the ones that weren’t a good fit for you.
Andie
