Weighted blankets are for many people the thing they never knew they needed until they got them. Many people who have issues with keeping their sleep cycle regular recommend them, and even those who sleep perfectly normally find that it’s just comfortable having more of a weighty feeling on top of you while you’re resting in bed. They just feel right to have on you, perhaps it’s just some primal part of our brain that feels safer when we have something heavy on us while we rest, but whatever it is it sure feels good. You may have noticed that when choosing weighted blankets for adults or even kids there are a lot of different options and it can seem pretty difficult to choose the right one, but we’ll make it easier for you by giving you some simple rules that make it a less difficult process.
How much should it weigh?
The main aspect of weighted blankets is of course their weight. This also means that the main thing you need to think about is also said weight. The rule of thumb that should generally be followed is that the blanket should be about one-tenth of your weight or ten percent. A 15-pound blanket would be ideal for you if you yourself weigh 150 pounds. If you’re at about 70kg then 7kg would be a great fit. If you find that they don’t make blankets with the exact weight for you then you can generally round up. They may not make 18-pound blankets for 180-pound people but 20 pounds would still fit you pretty well. If you are unsure we recommend contacting the manufacturer of the blanket brand you intend to buy as they can help you with their experience. If you’re buying one for a child then the recommendation is once again around 10% of their body weight but with an added pound or two. So if they’re 50 pounds then 6-7 pounds would be an ideal weight for them.
What size should I get?
Now onto the aspect that you need to look at for every blanket, even non-weighted ones – size. Generally, with regular blankets, you may go for something slightly larger than your bed so that it drapes off to the sides somewhat. With weighted blankets that would make it feel less heavy on you. This means that ideally, your blanket should be pretty much the same size as your bed. Big enough so that you can cover yourself entirely with it, but not so large as to hang off to the sides. This is true both for the width and the length of it. You want to be completely covered with it but not let any of that cozy heaviness be lost to the void. We like to say “I paid for the whole weight, I’m using the whole weight”.
What should it be filled with?
As with every blanket, weighted blankets have different fillings inside to achieve their weight and feeling. They each have varying benefits and price points, but this choice isn’t as impactful as the previous one. We still recommend looking into each option in-depth but not stressing about it too much. The main options are plastic pellets, glass beads, and steel beads.
- The plastic pellets are made from non-toxic plastics and are considered a cheaper alternative compared to the others. Their lower density means thicker blankets for the same weight.
- Glass beads are the in-between option. They’re denser than the plastic pellets which make for a bit thinner blankets and they’re quite a bit more durable.
- Steel beads are the heavy-duty option and they’re the densest of the bunch, plus their larger size means a lower count and thus thin but weighty blankets and they’re quite cost-effective too for what you get.
Conclusion
We hope that this guide has helped make the initially complex seeming task of choosing a good weighted blanket seem a little easier. With all of these in mind, you should be able to find the perfect option for yourself and enjoy the cozy feeling of being smothered by an inanimate object as soon as it arrives on your doorstep. Remember to ask your manufacturer any specific questions you may have with your particular blanket as they’ll be more than happy to help you. After all, who knows the blanket better than the people making and selling them?
