Coziest weighted blankets to get
Have you ever thought about using weighted blankets when you go to bed? Sometimes, we doze off without our consent. Other times, we stare at the ceiling all night without glancing at the dream world. The lack of control over our sleeping hours is not good for our health (physical or mental health). Lack of sleep can put you at the risk of chronic heart diseases, diabetes, depression, and stroke. Hence, we need to take control. But how?
To find the remedy to insomnia – a posh way of saying lack of sleep – and anxiety, we need to go back in time to a year when Aladdin hit the cinemas, and Batman returned to Gotham city. It is no other year than 1992. Temple Grandin, an American scientist, diagnosed with autism, invented the Hug Machine.
The Hug Machine provides pressure using an air compressor, which is 100% controlled by the user, and the sideboards exert deep pressure stimulation uniformly on the lateral parts of the human body.
The mode of operation of the Hug Machine is similar to how weighted blankets operate. Weighted blankets are a tested and trusted solution for people experiencing anxiety and sleeping problems.
The differences between the hug machine and weighted blanket include
- No air compressor in the weighted blanket as pressure is exerted with the weight of beads and glass inside the blanket.
- The weighted blanket acts on the covered parts of the body instead of the Hug Machine that only acts on the lateral parts of the body.
- There is no remote control in the weighted blanket since there is no mechanical machine to be automated.
What exactly is a weighted blanket?
As its name suggests, a weighted blanket is a heavy blanket that owes its added weight to its composition of plastic pellets or beads. It is used to induce sleep and reduce anxiety. It was originally made for dementia, autism spectrum disorders, and mental health illnesses.
They became mainstream after a successful Kickstarter campaign for ‘gravity blankets,’ created by an entrepreneur named John Fiorentino. The product campaign garnered about $5 million, and Futurism sold over 128,000 units.
5 Best Weighted Blankets for This Winter Season
Quility Weighted Blanket
#1 Best Seller
Price: $109.99
Are they looking for the ultimate solution for restlessness? Quility throws promote relaxation and enhance the quality of life of their users. It is a twin-size heavy blanket that humans and dogs can use. The manufacturer suggests that users choose these kinds that are 10-14% of their body weight. They let consumers dictate what size fits them.
The average weighted blanket weighs 15 lbs. The throws come in seven different colors, including navy and grey. It contains micro glass beads that help circulate pressure and balance the weighted blanket during sleep.
Pros
- Enhances quality of life.
- Help keep the temperature of dogs at moderate levels during cold nights.
- Keeps the anxiety level low.
- Aids quality sleep.
- The product is machine washable.
- Its soft texture makes it convenient to use.
Cons
- The blanket can be heavy to move from one place to another depending on the size.
Gravity Blanket
Highly-Rated
Price: $195.00
Gravity Blanket is the genesis of modern weighted blankets. Since it arrived in 2017, it has stuck in many homes, and users keep coming back to patronize the brand.
The gravity blanket is stitched in a grid-like fashion to prevent the beads from tilting to one side. The weighted blanket comes in three sizes – 15, 20, and 25 pounds. You can choose between three colors: white, grey, and blue.
The material used in making the exterior duvet cover is super soft micro-fleece, giving users a comfy feel. Although the duvet is machine washable, the internal blanket can only be washed bare hands.
Users are advised not to get gravity covers heavier than 10% of their body weight. The company warns that throws heavier than 10% of your body weight do not guarantee more satisfaction.
Pros
- It is machine washable.
- Its glass beads don’t tilt towards one side.
- Highly durable.
Cons
- The internal blanket is not machine washable.
- It is a high-risk purchase as the manufacturer charges 35% of the original shipping price when the product is returned.
- Expensive.
Tranquility Weighted Blanket
Price: $74.99
The thing with these types of covers is that they are quite expensive. Unlike Gravity blanket and Quility weighted blanket, Tranquility weighted blanket prioritizes affordability and accessibility to consumers.
A Tranquility weighted blanket is designed to keep the body temperature safe without compromising the fundamental qualities that make them effective. While the weighted blanket only comes in one color (grey), it is available in different weights – 12, 15, 18, and 20 pounds.
Pros
- Very affordable.
- Regulates temperature to keep the body temperature safe.
Cons
- It only comes in one color.
- It is not sold with a washable cover as you have to purchase the cover separately.
Yescool weighted blankets
Price: $74.99
Worried about slippery ones? Washing a weighted blanket can be stressful; hence you need a duvet cover that protects the blanket from stains or wear and tear.
They come with removable duvet covers. It is the perfect gift for adults.
Pros
- It is quite affordable.
- It is stitched in 10 places to make the plastic beads uniform.
- Soft and comfy blanket.
Cons
- There were complaints that the liners moved apart.
YnM weighted blankets
Price: $49.50
Enhance your sleeping experience with this. It comprises Oeko-Tex cotton materials and premium micro glass beads.
To aid balance when the YnM weighted blanket is used, their blanket has a 7-layers system. By sticking with more beads and less fiber, the manufacturer reduces the heat trapped in the weighted blanket. According to the manufacturer, the recommended weight is 10% of the user’s weight.
Pros
- Smaller compartments ensure an even distribution of pressure.
- It is made with breathable cotton, reducing the risks of overheating and suffocation.
Cons
- It uses poly pellet beads which leave a specific odor on the weighted blanket.
Factors to Consider When Buying a Weighted Blanket
Before you tap on the buy button, ensure you have considered every factor given in this section.
Weight
The weight, of course, is the most important factor. Of course, a weighted blanket is heavier than the normal ones, but it should never be heavier than 10-14% of your body weight.
Heavier weights can lead to suffocation and overheating. Before you can use a weighted blanket on kids, you must visit professionals to recommend the weight and type of weighted blanket to purchase.
The bitter truth is that they are not for people of special abilities who may have trouble getting the weighted blanket off them during an emergency.
Stitching
These kinds whose beads are not stitched apart will always tilt towards one side regardless of how well you position it before sleeping.
Manufacturers arrange the beads into compartments to ensure that the pressure from the blanket weight is evenly distributed.
Duvet cover
Using a weighted blanket without a duvet cover is like using your bed without the bedsheet. Unhygienic right? Damn right, it is.
The duvet cover prevents sweats and stains from getting to your weighted blanket.
While most duvet covers are machine washable, the inner covers can only be washed with hands due to the weight and thickness.
Some manufacturers do not sell duvet covers with these, but most do. A duvet cover can be made with cotton or Minky. Cotton is cool and breathable, but Minky is warmer and cozier.
Size
Like weight, six matters. You can get a twin size or queen size, but the weighted blanket should not be so large that it hangs over your bed for your comfort and balance. Its weight can pull you down when you are asleep.
Bead type
Check the customer reviews and see if anyone commented on the bead type or odor.
Glass beads are heavier, while plastic pellets are relatively lighter. If you are paying a huge amount for a weighted blanket, ensure the beads used are made of glass. You should get more. Some people complain that plastic pellets give off a certain or from plastic materials.
Benefits of Using Weighted Blankets
Closing your eyes does not guarantee sleep, while having everything in life does not help you get rid of anxiety. Insomnia and anxiety are two medical conditions that plague everyone regardless of status or race.
According to an NCBI report, weighted covers positively affect insomnia and anxiety patients who subscribe to deep pressure therapy. Deep pressure therapy uses the feelings produced when a person is hugged, held, squeezed, stroked to treat people suffering from lack of sleep and anxiety.
This section will discuss the benefits of sleeping under these kinds of covers in detail but have it at the back of your mind that they are originally used to treat insomnia and anxiety. Below are the other benefits of weighted covers;
Attention span increase in ADHD patients
In ADHD patients, they can be used to increase attention span.
ADHD, aka attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is characterized by impulsiveness, hyperactivity, and attention difficulty. It is often diagnosed in childhood and continues until adulthood.
ADHD causes people to be excessively anxious and depressed. According to a research report published by the American Journal of Occupational Therapy, they help ADHD patients improve in three attention parameters of the Conners Continuous Performance Test-II (CPT-II) task, namely inattention, speed of processing, and response. The parameters were measured when the subjects were out of their seat, off-task, fidgeting.
Pain reduction osteoarthritis patients
Although a weighted blanket cannot cure the underlying medical condition of osteoarthritis patients, it can help relieve the perception of pain.
Osteoarthritis is a wear and tear disease that causes the flexible tissue at the ends of the bone to wear down, causing pain. The deep pressure therapy by a weighted blanket can be of use alongside drugs to relieve pain in osteoarthritis patients.
Related Articles
Deep pressure therapy for autism patients
Autism patients have sleeping disorders; hence, it makes sense that the weighted blanket and the hugging machine were of the creation for them.
Final Thoughts
When you’re shopping for a weighted blanket, keep in mind that they are not one-size-fits-all. The weight of the blanket should be based on your personal needs and comfort preferences. There is no “right” or “wrong” weight, so it’s important to experiment with different weights before purchasing anything.
Be sure to read reviews from other customers who have tried out similar products before buying anything because what might work for them may not work for you! We hope this information has helped guide your decision when looking into these types of blankets. Do you think a weighted blanket would help reduce anxiety? What do you think about trying a new type of therapy?
