The 2018 Guide to Best Weighted Blankets for Better Sleep, Stress, and Anxiety
Do you like it when your dentist throws that heavy lead blanket on you for xrays?
If you do, it might be because weighted blankets release a flood of "good-feeling" hormones into your body (these are similar to the hormones you feel when you're hugged or held). Weighted blankets promote the release of serotonin, melatonin, lowering nighttime cortisol levels. This updated guide can help you find the right weighted blanket. That's the goal.
The History of Weighted Blankets
Weighted blankets Have been around for a couple of decades now. They're not new to the medical community, who has recommended them for everything from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder to Autism Spectrum Disorder as well as Anxiety and Insomnia. It's only in the past few years, though, that weighted blankets have become more mainstream. These days, you're hearing about them all over the place.
I wanted to gather together a semi-comprehensive guide to weighted blankets in order to help other people who are looking for the right fit.
The Best Brands Making Weighted Blankets
When it comes to weighted blankets, each brand seems to be known for something different. This guide will dig into pricepoint, brand, and reputation. I hope this helps you find a weighted blanket that works for you.
1. The American-Made Custom Weighted Blanket, $170 (depends on size)
Since this American-made weighted blanket helps supports the Beautiful Voyager community, we're biased and think it is the best one!
2. Tennessee-Based Family Business Weighting Comforts, $195+
Weighting Comforts is run by a mother-son duo in Nashville, Tennessee. I found out about their company when they reached out after seeing last year's weighted blanket post. I liked hearing about how they employee six women through the Sew for Hope organization (a very cool nonprofit organization providing sewing machines and sewing classes for international refugees who have resettled in Middle Tennessee).
3. The Brookstone Blanket from Bed, Bath and Beyond, $150 online
The Brookstone Weighted Blanket was one of the original blankets more widely sold to the general public, opening up the category for other brands to follow. It is not customized to a specific body type, and the description says, "Suitable for anyone weighing 20 lb. and over."
4. The Kickstarter-Funded Weighted Blanket from Gravity, $250 and up
This Gravity blanket really turned heads when it launched, raising over $3M on the Kickstarter campaign. It's also come with its fair share of controversy when the FDA cracked down on its claims.
5. Mosaic Weighted Blanket, $145 (depends on size)
I found out about Mosaic Weighted Blankets from a comment left on our 2017 weighted blanket post. This is an organic blanket and seems well-made, with many color and fabric choices..
6. Canadian-Based Company Hippo Hug, $135
The people behind Hippo Hug reached out on our 2017 Weighted Blanket Guide, sharing that their blankets can be customized to different weights and fabrics. The Hippo Hug blankets are quilted and are made by sewing two layers of batting together to create channels. Individual weights are then dropped into the channels and seams are sewn in the opposite direction.
How Weighted Blankets Should Fit
Each brand of weighted blanket deals with fit in a different way. The Gravity blanket, for example, has 3 different sizes (small, medium, large basically). The weighted blanket we sell on the Beautiful Voyager marketplace is a little more granular. Here's the ratio we used to determine the correct weight: 10% of your body weight plus two or three pounds. You just input your body weight, and we do the rest.
This is a really important thing to understand: Weighted blankets are supposed to fit your body, not the bed. The blanket lays on top of the bed without hanging over the sides. If it does hang over the sides, you'll likely spend the entire night fighting to keep it from sliding into the floor. Who wants that?
We would love to know about your own experiences with weighted blankets. Help other people learn from your experiences!