If a weighted blanket sounds like you’ll be sleeping under fabric filled with crushed barbells, don’t worry. It’s actually stuffed with beads, discs or pellets made of polyfill or glass, and it drapes the contours of your body for sound, peaceful sleep. Before sliding under one, though, there are a few things to consider: the size of your bed, the size and weight of both you and the blanket, your preferred sleeping temperature and the filling material. Let’s take a look at how these considerations work to give you some extra ZZZs.
In general, you should look for a blanket that is 10 percent of your weight, plus a few pounds. So if you weigh 150 pounds, a blanket that’s between 15 and 18 pounds should suit you perfectly. Young children shouldn’t use a weighted blanket unless it’s prescribed by a doctor, and elderly people should use one light enough to move with minimal effort.
It’s as important for a weighted blanket to fit the size of the bed as it is to fit you. The overhang of a king-size blanket on a queen-size bed can cause the blanket to slowly slip off the bed during the night. As for the filling, glass beads are small and sand-like, so the blanket will feel lighter. Poly-pellets are like small stones, so the blanket will give you a thicker cover.
If you prefer to sleep on the cooler side, be sure to get a blanket made of breathable material, like bamboo viscose. Polyester might make you feel like you’re sleeping under a heat lamp. A duvet cover will protect and beautify the blanket, but be sure to think about how it will affect the weight of the blanket as well as how warm or cool you’ll feel under it.
