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Weighted blankets hit the mainstream nearly a decade ago when the Gravity Blanket launched its Kickstarter campaign. Usually weighing from 10-25 pounds, the pressure from these blankets is supposed to reduce anxiety and help you sleep better. It\u2019s like being in the womb! Like getting a hug! While I was admittedly curious about weighted blankets at the time, I wondered if it was just another gimmick and didn\u2019t follow through on trying one out.<\/p>\n
Flash forward to the present day, and as a middle-aged man who struggles to get good sleep, I\u2019m open to experimenting with all kinds of sleep \u201ctech\u201d \u2014 gimmicks or not. And I recently pulled the trigger on buying myself a weighted blanket.<\/p>\n
Well, as it turns out, I actually don\u2019t like sleeping with it at night. It was just too hot, heavy, and constricting to be comfortable using all night long. But that doesn\u2019t mean I\u2019ve written the weighted blanket off entirely. I have found it quite useful for two things:<\/p>\n
Falling back to sleep in the morning when I wake up too early. <\/strong>Sometimes I wake up a couple hours before I intend to, and I can\u2019t fall back asleep. I\u2019ve found that when I wake up early, if I put the weighted blanket over me, it helps me return to sleep a lot more readily.<\/p>\n Taking a nap.<\/strong> I\u2019ve really wanted to embrace the nap more to compensate for getting less robust sleep at night. But despite the fact that I get tired during the day, sometimes when I lie down, I can\u2019t fall asleep (that I drink caffeine during the day doesn\u2019t help; though note that I cut off the caffeine early, so, no, that\u2019s not the cause of my nighttime sleep struggles; rest assured, dear reader, that I have very good sleep hygiene \u2014 I do all the recommended things!). However, using the weighted blanket during naps helps me fall asleep faster and more reliably. It\u2019s really improved my naps.<\/p>\n While I\u2019m not a nighttime user of the weighted blanket, these two uses have turned me into a big appreciator of them.<\/p>\n If you want to try out a weighted blanket for yourself, here are a few tips for getting one:<\/p>\n Match blanket weight to body weight. <\/strong>It\u2019s typically recommended that you aim for a blanket that\u2019s about 10% of your body weight. I\u2019m about 200 pounds, so I got a 20-lb blanket. Too heavy can be uncomfortable, too light won’t offer the calming pressure you’re after. You\u2019ll also hear anecdotally from users, though, that you should get a blanket that\u2019s as heavy as you can comfortably bear, so if you\u2019re between weights (they typically come in 10, 15, and 20 lb. increments) go higher instead of lower \u2014 especially if you\u2019re just going to be using it for naps rather than all night. <\/p>\n Choose a breathable fabric. <\/strong>Weighted blankets are heavy by design and can trap heat. To avoid feeling overheated, pick one with an exterior fabric made with natural, breathable materials like cotton or bamboo. You’ll sleep cooler and more comfortably.<\/p>\n Look for even weight distribution. <\/strong>The filler beads on cheaper blankets are sometimes unevenly spaced, which ruins the effect. Choose a blanket with small, evenly stitched pockets \u2014 around 4 to 6 inches each \u2014 for consistent pressure across your body.<\/p>\n Think about washability.<\/strong> Some weighted blankets, like the Gravity, have removable covers for washing \u2014 but getting them on and off looks like kind of a pain. Other blankets can be entirely washed in your washing machine. I got the latter; though I\u2019m a little worried that a 20-lb blanket might wreck my washing machine, which is a top loader with an agitator pole. I haven\u2019t tried it yet. If you\u2019re concerned about that, get a blanket that comes with a cover, or buy a separate cover that will fit it.<\/p>\n Consider blanket size. <\/strong>Weighted blankets aren’t meant to drape over the edges of your bed. They should fit your body, not your mattress. (This means you can use one just on yourself, without dragging your partner into it.) A blanket that\u2019s too big can hang off your mattress, disrupting the distribution of weight and decreasing the proper pressure on your body. So when your blanket arrives and it doesn\u2019t cover your mattress, don\u2019t think there\u2019s been a mistake; that\u2019s how it\u2019s supposed to be.<\/p>\n