If anxious thoughts keep you up at night or you suffer from certain sleep and respiratory disorders, a weighted blanket might be just the thing to add to your anti-anxiety routine. Learn all about weighted blankets and the evidence that they might help with anxiety.
What Are Weighted Blankets?
Instead of cotton, down, or polyester, weighted blankets are filled with tiny glass beads that press down on your body while you sleep. Common weighted blanket weights include 10, 15, and 25 pounds, and these blankets range from the size of a small blanket to full king-size duvets.
Do Weighted Blankets Help with Anxiety?
Source: lunablanket.com
According to Harvard Medical School, weighted blankets have been used to reduce anxiety and other types of psychological distress for decades. While weighted blankets are the trusty tools of psychotherapists, there isn’t much research supporting the claims that weighted blankets help with anxiety.
The lack of research into weighted blankets appears to be mostly due to the limited amount of funding for related studies. While the weighted blanket market is growing every year, the main impetus for studies into pharmaceutical drugs and other conventional anxiety treatments is the immense profit margins that pharma companies can make from these medications. While weighted blankets might be just as effective at fighting anxiety as conventional treatments, don’t expect any corroborating research any time soon.
The theory behind weighted blankets is simple. In the same way that swaddling a newborn is often the only way for parents to get some sleep at night, weighted blankets provide the feeling of being enveloped in a warm, comforting hug. If you have conditions like sleep apnea, respiratory conditions, or sleep paralysis, a weighted blanket might be able to give your body the signal that everything’s okay, which could help you have sweet dreams. Learn more about the benefits of weighted blankets.
If racing thoughts are keeping you up at night, try combining a weighted blanket with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or even some breathing techniques for relaxation.
Top 10 Weighted Blankets on Amazon
These are the best-rated weighted blankets on Amazon. We looked for those blankets with the highest aggregate ratings. We filtered by finding those with the highest average rating and the most reviews, so these really are the best-weighted blankets for sale, as collectively judged by shoppers…
1. Quility Premium Adult Weighted Blanket & Removable Cover
With tons of different size and color options to choose from, it’s clear why this Quility weighted blanket is the most popular option on Amazon. With seven layers and an ultra-soft cover, this blanket’s 100% satisfaction guarantee is simply the icing on the cake. Definitely one of the best options.
2. YnM Weighted Blanket (15 lbs, 48”x72”, Twin Size)
This ultra-popular Amazon option is one of the most customizable weighted blankets on the market. With more than a dozen color options to choose from, you can use this YnM weighted blanket on its own or slip it under your duvet for extra bedtime comfort. With lots of glass beads and small bead pockets, this weighted blanket is a serious contender.
3. LUNA Weighted Blanket (15 lbs – 60×80 – Queen Size)
This high-end weighted blanket is made from 100% organic cotton, which more than makes up for the lack of color options. It comes in five different sizes, and it contains medical-grade glass beads for enhanced comfort and anxiolytic properties.
4. ZZZhen Weighted Blanket
Your color options for the ZZZhen weighted blanket are limited to Gray and Bamboo Gray, but it’s available in multiple weights and sizes. Claims to containing “organic glass” beads are somewhat deceptive, but hundreds of Amazon customers are convinced that this ZZZhen option is a great pick.
5. Dr. Hart’s Weighted Blanket Deluxe Set
Designed by Dr. Hart himself, this Amazon favorite is the best weighted blanket for kids. With both cotton and synthetic cover options to choose from, your only remaining decision will be whether the 10, 15, or 25-pound option is best for your little one.
6. sSnooze Weighted Blanket 20 lbs 2019
There’s nothing about the sSnooze Weighted Blanket that really stands out, but it offers all the great benefits of the higher-ranked blankets on this list. We only wish there were more than four color options to choose from. sSnooze claims to use “nano” glass beads in its blankets, which might contribute to better breathability.
7. Gsleeper Weighted Blanket
Gsleeper appears to be a newer company, but it’s taken the Amazon weighted blanket market by storm and stacks up well against the best products on the market. With attractive pastel colors and various weight options to choose from, it provides all the benefits of some of the other blankets we’ve listed without standing out.
If you’re looking for a high-quality, cotton-covered weighted blanket, this is a great option.
8. HomeSmart Products King Size Weighted Blanket Comforter
HomeSmart offers tons of different size options, but you’re stuck with either blue or gray when you choose this affordable weighted blanket. This weighted blanket has two main claims to fame: One, it’s supposedly the biggest weighted blanket on the market. Two, its cover is 100% organic cotton.
9. Cok Weighted Blanket
This weighted blanket has a microfiber polyester inner layer and cotton cover, and it comes in five sizes and two colors. Cok provides some helpful educational materials on its product page that might help you get used to using a weighted blanket.
10. bedextra Weighted Heavy Blanket Adult Kids-2019 Upgraded
If you like gray, bedextra gives you six different weighted blanket sizes to choose from. With patented “hugbeads” and a three-year warranty, this weighted blanket is a solid option.
