Weighted blankets have seen a lot of mainstream success within the last decade, but they’ve been around for much longer: Occupational therapists began studying the effects of weighted blankets and weighted vests in the early 2000s, and studies looking at the therapeutic effects of weighted blankets date even earlier.
Studies show that weighted blankets — which are typically filled with small glass or plastic beads to add weight — can help you sleep better, reduce anxiety and relieve stress. Although our experts say a weighted blanket’s efficacy varies from person to person, it can provide positive effects both physically and psychologically.
I consulted with sleep medicine specialists and occupational therapy experts about the potential benefits of weighted blankets, along with who should (and shouldn’t) use them. I also compiled a list of product recommendations that align with their guidance.
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Highly-rated weighted blankets
Our experts say a weighted blanket should provide multiple weight options to fit the 10% body weight limit, feature a machine-washable and breathable cover and offer a return policy that lets you trial the blanket before committing to it. With this guidance in mind, I rounded up highly rated weighted blankets, including a few NBC Selected staff favorites.
Baloo Living’s weighted blanket features glass beads and comes in various sizes, ranging from 12 to 25 pounds. I own the 12-pound throw blanket, which fits snugly on my couch and offers a comfortable weight when I’m relaxing in the evening.
The blanket is made with a 100% cotton exterior and interior, and it’s both machine-washable and dryer-safe, according to the brand (although it recommends using a commercial washing machine for the largest, 25-pound blanket). The blanket also features small loops sewn into the seams at the sides and corners to connect to a duvet cover, and it’s available in multiple colors.
The Gravity Blanket features a machine-washable micro-plush duvet cover and an inner weighted piece filled with glass beads that can be hand-washed only. The inner weighted blanket also has gridded stitching to ensure the beads are uniformly distributed and don’t shift as you move around, according to the brand.
For a kid-friendly option, this 5-pound weighted blanket from Harkla comes with an inner weighted layer and a removable fleece duvet cover that the brand says can be machine-washed in cold water and put in the dryer at a low setting. Harkla also offers a 7-pound, 10-pound and 15-pound version of the blanket for older kids and adults, and it comes in three colors.
This YNM Weighted Blanket is another option that is both machine-washable and dryer-safe, but it recommends washing the duvet cover rather than the inner blanket, since frequent washing can cause wear and tear. It’s offered in a range of colorways and weights.
We love cuddling up with Bearaby’s weighted animals and the brand’s weighted blankets are just as cozy. This one is 100 percent organic cotton and in a chunky knit pattern that looks and feels luxe. It also comes with a dust bag so you can store it properly or take it on your travels.
How to shop for a weighted blanket
Two of our experts — Dr. Seema Khosla, medical director of the North Dakota Center for Sleep, and Michael Urban, occupational therapy practitioner, senior lecturer and director of the Doctorate of Occupational Therapy Program at the University of New Haven — say trialing a weighted blanket before making a final decision is typically a good call, especially since many weighted blanket brands offer a 30-day return policy. Here are some additional features to consider:
What is the best weight for a weighted blanket?
While 10% of your body weight is recommended, it’s ultimately based on personal preference and you should ensure that “movement and breathing are not impaired,” says Dr. Alex Dimitriu, board-certified psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist at SiliconPsych.
Khosla also recommends starting with a low weight — around 5 pounds or less — to see how it feels. “Don’t invest a lot of money in your first one, and just try it if you’re taking a nap or relaxing in the evening while reading or watching TV — if you love it, you can always upgrade to a better one for the bedroom,” she says.
How important is breathability?
Since the pressure created by a weighted blanket can make it feel warmer than a typical blanket, Dimitriu recommends looking for one that features a cover made from a breathable fabric — like cotton or linen — to help your body cool off at night and facilitate deep and restorative sleep. The quicker our core body temperature drops, the quicker we can fall asleep, so overheating at night can disrupt your overall sleep quality, Khosla adds.
What is the best type of cover for a weighted blanket?
In addition to a breathable fabric, a removable and washable cover can help your blanket last. While some blankets already come with a machine-washable cover, others (like those with loops that attach to a duvet cover) may require you to purchase one separately.
Frequently asked questions
Weighted blankets look a lot like a typical blanket, comforter or duvet insert that you’d throw on your bed or couch. But instead of cotton, polyfill or feathers, they’re filled with glass or plastic beads to add weight. Most have individual quilted squares so the beads won’t shift when you turn or move in your sleep, and some feature loops on the corners so it can attach to a duvet cover.
The weight of these blankets vary by manufacturer, but they usually range anywhere from 3 to 30 pounds. Generally, you should look for a weighted blanket that’s about 10% of your body weight, according to Khosla.
The weighted blanket is predominantly based on the concept of deep-pressure stimulation, a method in which gentle pressure is used to induce a feeling of calm by increasing the mood-boosting hormone serotonin and the sleep hormone melatonin. While experts told me the data behind the effectiveness of weighted blankets is sparse, some small and more individualized studies have shown they can reduce insomnia in certain patients, and other studies show they can serve as a therapeutic tool to decrease anxiety because the deep pressure is thought to reduce the stress hormone cortisol.
“Some people find the pressure they provide to be soothing, like a hug or a massage,” says Lynelle Schneeberg, board-certified sleep psychologist and author of “Become Your Child’s Sleep Coach.”
Khosla told me that weighted blankets can help people feel more centered and give them a distraction, especially if they have trouble falling asleep. “It lets them focus on something else or isolate their thoughts on the feeling of something on top of them,” she says. For example, a 2016 study found that subjects undergoing wisdom tooth removal — which the researchers identified as one of the most stressful medical procedures — showed more activity in the part of the nervous system that is in control during times of low stress when they wore weighted blankets during the procedure.
Our experts agree the effectiveness of a weighted blanket varies from person to person. “Our bodies respond to things differently — what works for one person may not work the same for the next,” says Urban. He adds that weighted blankets in rare cases can cause certain people to feel overstimulated when they’re used for hours at a time, which can ultimately offset the benefits.
“While it does help get your mind to a more relaxed state, there are some people where it could have counter effects,” says Urban. “You may not know until you try it.”
Other limitations include the price (most cost anywhere from $50 to $300) and the lack of portability. “If you become very used to the feeling of sleeping under them, you may want to bring them along when you travel, and that can be an issue if the blanket is unwieldy, heavy or bulky,” says Schneeberg.
Our experts agree that weighted blankets are safe as long as they’re used properly and the weight isn’t too much. They’re not recommended for adults with respiratory, circulatory, mobility or temperature-regulation issues, since these blankets can get fairly hot, according to Schneeberg. Khosla adds that adults with neuromuscular disorders that physically can’t lift a heavy blanket should also avoid them.
Weighted blankets can help children with disorders like autism and ADHD, according to Schneeberg, who says some kids can benefit from compression, either from weighted blankets or stretchy sleeping bags that can provide deep pressure. In fact, a small study published in “The American Journal of Occupational Therapy” found that elementary school-aged students who wore weighted vests paid attention more and fidgeted less in class.
Weighted blankets are generally safe for kids to use regularly, as long as the child “has no mobility issues and can manage the blanket independently,” meaning they can tuck it in and replace it if it moves out of place or falls off the bed, says Schneeberg. And the typical 10% of body weight requirement still applies to children, “so they aren’t recommended for very young children, and certainly not for babies,” she adds.
Meet our sleep experts
At NBC Selected, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
Dr. Seema Khosla is the medical director of the North Dakota Center for Sleep.
Lynelle Schneeberg is a board-certified sleep psychologist and author of “Become Your Child’s Sleep Coach.” Dr. Schneeberg is an assistant professor at the Yale School of Medicine, the director of the behavioral sleep program at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center and a fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Michael Urban is an occupational therapy practitioner, senior lecturer and director of the Doctorate of Occupational Therapy Program at the University of New Haven.
Dr. Alex Dimitriu is a board-certified psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist at SiliconPsych.
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