Why do weighted blankets work?
Everyone loves to be swaddled!
How can I choose the right weighted blanket?
There are five main factors to consider when purchasing a weighted blanket: Weight, Filling, Size, Cover, and Assembly.
I'll explain the implications of each of those below.
Weight
You'll hear that the general rule of thumb is to get a blanket that is around 10% of your body weight. However, after having purchased so many of these for friends and family, I can make it way simpler:
If you are 140lbs or less, buy this 15 lb blanket.
If you are over 140lbs, buy this 20 lb blanket.
Filling
Weighted blankets get their weight from either glass beads or polybeads.
I highly suggest glass beads.
Size
All of the blankets I've reviewed on this site come in either 42"x72" or 60"x80".
Unless you want your feet to stick out of the bottom, go with the 60"x80".
Weighted blankets are made for a single person. A standard comforter for a queen bed is 88"x88". Those comforters will hang over the sides and end of the bed.
The top surface of a queen mattress is 60"x80", so the weighted blankets of that size will cover the top of a queen mattress completely, but will not hang over the sides.
Duvet Cover
The weighted part of a weighted blanket is the inner layer. You have a choice to buy a weighted blanket that either comes with or doesn't come with a duvet cover.
Generally, a duvet cover will be much softer material than the inner layer. The most popular material for the duvet covers is minky.
The biggest advantage to the duvet cover is that it can be removed for cleaning. Most of them, depending on material, can be machine washed and dried.
Assembly
If you buy a weighted blanket with a duvet cover, pay attention to how the weighted layer fits in the duvet cover. The two factors are number of tie points and size of zipper opening.
Tie points: Tie points are used to tie the inner layer into the duvet cover. Most blankets will have 4 tie points (one at each corner) which will do the trick. However the top of the line products will have 8 ties points (one at each corner plus one half way along each side.
Zipper: You have to get the weighted layer inside the duvet cover somehow. Most covers come with a zipper opening on one side. Make sure the zipper opening is at least 40". Don't worry, the zipper is never a tangible nuisance when snuggling under your blanket.