I first came across weighted blankets on TikTok as they were becoming more popular. I figured that they were a quick and small lifestyle change, yet the benefits seemed extraordinary. As I read reviews on Amazon that raved about how life-changing the blanket was for people’s sleep quality and lowering stress levels, I knew that I had to try it myself.
The weighted blanket works as a form of deep pressure stimulation. By applying constant, gentle pressure all over the body, it relaxes the nervous system. In turn, the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine are released, which improve mood and sleep. This also causes heart rate, blood pressure and breathing to slow down, which goes up when someone is feeling anxious.
Weighted blankets help improve sleep quality and are especially helpful for people who have anxiety or insomnia. A lot of times, it’s easy to let our minds wander when we are trying to fall asleep, and sometimes I will find myself worrying in anticipation of tomorrow’s events. With the weighted blanket, I’ve noticed that I fall asleep easier and faster.
The weight makes me move around less and has a calming effect. Additionally, I don’t always get enough sleep each night, but the weighted blanket somewhat compensates for this by improving the overall quality of sleep. Even on nights when I sleep late, I still feel decently rested, and more so than I did before I started using the weighted blanket.
After some research, I chose the brand YnM for my blanket. Its single weighted blanket option has 4.6/5 stars on Amazon, with over 38,413 reviews across all of its buying options. This particular brand comes in so many different cute colors and patterns, and I chose a coral pink color dark enough that it wouldn’t show wear too easily. The blanket also comes in 6 different dimensions depending on the size of your bed, as well as a two-person size if you plan on sharing the blanket with another person.
YnM offers 15 different weights with three sharing use options (doctors recommend the blanket weighs 10-15% of your body weight). Certain brands are pricier than others, but the YnM blanket ended up being on the cheaper end of the spectrum. I spent around $60 for my 48” X 72” 15 lb model.
Some of the reviews I looked through before making my purchase said the blanket could get a bit hot in the summer. I’m not too sure of this because I’ve only been using it for about a month, starting this February. However, I like to keep my room on the cooler end, and I actually ended up having to put another blanket over the weighted blanket to stay warm throughout the night. Because of this, I don’t really anticipate that the blanket will get overly stuffy through the warmer months.
One of the most interesting things I find about the blanket is the material inside that gives it its weight. Many of the blankets are filled with eco-sustainable materials inside of them, many of which are Oeko-Tex or GOTS-certified, which was a huge bonus for me. They are filled with anything from fair-trade cotton to recycled denim to the bamboo in the YnM blanket. The material is very subtle, and since the weights are put within the blanket’s layers, they are concealed and do not make too much noise. I found the weight to be not too heavy that it feels suffocating, but just enough that it slows the restlessness associated with falling asleep.
The blanket in no way replaces medication for anxiety or sleep disorders but can still provide comfort and alleviate some of the discomforts that comes with them. At the same time, you don’t have to be diagnosed with an anxiety or sleep disorder for the blanket to make a huge difference in your life.