The Best Weighted Blankets

A large gray weighted blanket is shown draped over an upholstered chair and on a bed. A smaller one with a dinosaur print is draped over a smiling child. — joybest/Haowaner/joybest

Buying Guide for Weighted Blankets

A woman reads in bed with a weighted blanket over her legs. — AN

Why buy a weighted blanket?

We hear about their healing power all over pop culture, but it’s not just a rumor. Medical experts agree that weighted blankets can use deep pressure touch to activate serotonin production, reduce cortisol, and increase melatonin—all of which improve sleep.

The benefits of sleeping with a weighted blanket carry over to daytime activities. When stress increases, heart rate increases, and so does the likelihood of anxiety, even panic. But the pressure of a weighted blanket activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which consequentially lowers the heart rate and increases a sense of calm. So, with regular use, a weighted blanket can increase quality sleep and lower stress during the day, too.

What should you consider in a weighted blanket?

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With various types of weighted blankets, materials, and features available, the task of choosing one might seem daunting. Consider these factors to help guide your decision:

Health Benefits: If your doctor or therapist recommends that you purchase a weighted blanket to help with anxiety, ADHD, sleep disorders, or autism, then you’ve come to the right place. There are warming, cooling, and super-soft weighted blankets that can offer you extra comfort.
Weight: Preference is the ultimate deciding factor, but you’ll need a blanket that’s appropriate for your body size. A general guideline is to use blankets that are within 5-12% of your body weight. Again, everyone’s different. If you’ll be sharing a weighted blanket with someone else, it might be trickier to choose one. Luckily, many products are aimed at solving that problem. There’s no scientific calculation for the ideal blanket weight based on the user’s body weight, but most manufacturers will have recommendations available in regards to sizing.
Appearance: If it’s important to you, don’t forget to look for blankets that appeal to you aesthetically. While weighted blankets have calming benefits, they don’t have to be hospital white! There are many colors and prints available to choose from.

Are weighted blankets safe to use?

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Yes, the general consensus is that weighted blankets are safe to use, but not for everyone. Speak to your doctor first! Your doctor might advise against using a weighted blanket if you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, low blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or any respiratory disease like COPD. Also, people who are too weak or young to lift and move the blanket should not use one, and people who suffer from any type of dementia might be cautioned against getting one by their health specialist. And, finally, weighted blankets might cause panic in individuals with claustrophobia. If you don’t find yourself in any of these categories, a weighted blanket should be safe and beneficial for you to use!

Our Picks for the Best Weighted Blankets

Best Cooling Blanket

AN Cooling Weighted Blankets

This blanket provides comfort and security for individuals with anxiety and insomnia, and for those on the autism spectrum.

Pros: This weighted blanket can soothe and comfort people with autism, Alzheimer’s, anxiety, and even pandemic-induced stress. It can help people fall asleep and stay asleep and offers a sense of security. It’s made with natural and breathable cotton, nontoxic beads, and well-stitched pockets to keep the beads evenly distributed. AN provides a helpful chart on how to choose the correct size and weight for you and your bed.

Cons: As with almost any of these weighted blankets, some glass beads might move around and even leak. The blanket can’t be thrown into the washer but must be hand-washed.

Bottom Line: Considering the low price and great benefits, the AN cooling weighted blanket might just work for you. If you or the one who you’re buying a weighted blanket for suffers from insomnia, anxiety, or any condition mentioned above, this blanket might be the ideal solution.

Best Warming and Cooling

OMYSTYLE Weighted Blanket

This reversible temperature blanket is made possible with two unique fabrics.

Pros: The dual-sided feature of this weighted blanket really makes it stand out. One side is made of Tencel fabric (a type of rayon made from eucalyptus wood pulp) for hot sleepers, while the other is made of short plush microfiber material that’s soft and warm and retains heat for cooler sleepers. Two more breathable cotton layers are placed between the outermost premium fabric and the non-glue polyester padding. The glass beads are housed in four pockets to create even distribution. The blanket also comes with a tote bag.

Cons: Some users might not notice a big difference in temperature between the two sides. There are many different sizes, so measure the size of your bed or the size of a favorite blanket before you pick a size so that you’ll be satisfied.

Bottom Line: The unique reversible warming and cooling feature makes this a great option. The beads stay put, and you’ll find a thorough diagram on how to choose a size correctly. They even have a section for people who are sensitive to pressure. This is, by and large, a great blanket, especially considering the price!

Best for Kids

Haowaner Blanket for Calming and Sleeping

Now your kid has the motivation to go to bed! With this weighted blanket, the bed becomes a more calming and happy place to rest.

Pros: Kids who struggle with sleep love weighted blankets because they offer snuggly, cuddly comfort. This Haowaner weighted blanket is ideal for ages 4 to 15, and the company includes recommendations on the product page about how to choose the blanket that’s appropriate for kids’ body weight. The materials and design used in creating the blanket promise breathability and temperature control. The layered construction consists of a 100% cotton top, a fleece-bottom layer, and nontoxic glass beads that are hypoallergenic and odorless.

Cons: As with most weighted blankets, the beads might unevenly cluster in the center. Not all sizes will work for all kids, so you’ll need to consult the size chart, and you might need to purchase multiple blankets as your child grows. Since these are for kids, they don’t come in larger sizes or weights over 10 pounds.

Bottom Line: Be sure to look closely at the Haowaner fit chart on the product page! It’s especially important to choose an appropriate weight for your child. The blanket is low-priced and comes in adorable prints, so you have little to lose.

Great for Sharing

joybest King Size Weighted Blanket

With this big blanket, you can enjoy cuddling with your partner or your kids.

Pros: Joybest utilizes a seven-layer design to make this weighted blanket breathable and free of glass bead leakage. The stitching is sufficiently tight to create compartments to keep the beads in place. When you need to wash the blanket, you can conveniently toss it into the washing machine. Another selling point is that it’s available in an array of colors!

Cons: Some users might find the blanket to be too heavy. For couples, sharing a weighted blanket could have its drawbacks since each person might have different weight preferences or body temperatures.

Bottom Line: The pros outweigh the cons with this king-sized weighted blanket. It’s a comforting, anxiety-reducing, sleep-promoting blanket. It’s a great one to share, but if you want the king size all for yourself, more power to you! Enjoy the color options, get some well-deserved sleep and stress relief, and be sure to consult the directions on how to choose the right size and weight.

Most Comfortable

ZonLi Soft Fleece Heavy Blanket

The secret to this blanket is in the design and layers of ultra-comfortable material.

Pros: The ZonLi fleece weighted blanket has to be one of the coziest among its competitors—just look at it! Like other ZonLi weighted blanket versions, design is a focus feature. They use a high-density sewing technology, combined with two layers of microfiber and smaller square compartments, to hold and distribute the beads. One side is Sherpa, and the other side is Minky, a plush, 100% polyester fabric that’s soft with a short pile. The blanket brings ultimate comfort and treats insomnia, symptoms of autism, anxiety, and more.

Cons: ZonLi makes it clear on the product page that the blanket might be smaller than non-weighted blankets as a result of weight concentration on the body. Also, it’s a tad more expensive than similar products, so if you need to be careful with your budget, you might want to look at other options.

Bottom Line: If you enjoy nestling into a fluffy blanket that’s just heavy enough to coax you into a deep sleep, then how could you go wrong with the ZonLi weighted blanket? You really can’t! But if you can’t stand the feeling of fuzziness on your skin, then move on to one of our other picks. Remember to consult the size and weight chart and enjoy!

Final Thoughts

The weight of the glass beads in weighted blankets mimics the type of deep-pressure touch that occupational therapists use to reduce anxiety in individuals. If you know that you like deep-pressure therapy because you’ve had a deep-tissue massage, that’s a good sign that you’ll love a weighted blanket. Furthermore, if you’re habituated to diving under a blanket at the end of a stressful day, or you love the feeling of falling asleep all bundled up, take a look at these weighted blankets.