There’s no substitute for a great night’s sleep, which is always painfully apparent if you’re having a tough time getting one. Anxiety and insomnia can be frustrating, especially if you’ve tried other methods like white noise machines and sleep masks to no avail. If you’re looking for an alternative solution, a weighted blanket may be exactly what you need.
At first I wasn’t convinced that “deep-touch pressure stimulation” was a real thing or that it could help with sensory issues or insomnia, but after months of testing weighted blankets for this guide, I’ve changed my mind. Weighted blankets have way more to offer than a regular blanket. When I crawl under a heavier blanket, I notice a near-immediate calming effect and I fall asleep faster. Since I tend to be a hot sleeper, I prefer to use weighted blankets on my couch in the evenings (there are plenty of weighted throws to choose from). That said, on particularly restless or stressful nights, I’ll take a weighted blanket to my bed to get some deep pressure stimulation.
If you’re considering a weighted blanket or weighted comforter, you’re in luck — there are tons of options out there. You’ll surely find one attuned to your sleep style, body weight and general preferences. We update this list periodically to ensure you always find a blanket to help you get better sleep. Also, if you think you’ll be using a weighted blanket regularly, you want to invest in a removable cover like a duvet cover — these blankets are typically way too heavy to toss in the washer!
Not sure how to pick the best weighted blanket for your sleep needs? This blanket review guide gives you four tips for choosing the best weighted blankets for your home and lifestyle. If you’re feeling crafty, you can make your own weighted blanket too, for adults or kids. (Hint: The key is finding the blanket that is the right weight for your body and offers even weight distribution for gentle pressure.)
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The Luna blanket encompasses everything I ever wanted in a quality weighted blanket: It’s soft, it covers me from chest to toes, it’s not overwhelmingly heavy, the weighted beads don’t shift within the blanket, it has loops for an optional outer cover, it’s washable and it doesn’t make me sweat.
Made of 300-thread count, 100% cotton and filled with 100% polyester, microfiber, and micro glass beads, the Luna blanket is OEKO-TEX 100 certified and hypoallergenic.
I took this blanket from the couch to my bed for two weeks straight and loved every minute of it. I even took it with me to visit my parents because I didn’t want to leave it behind. And throughout my testing — when I had nearly 10 weighted blankets in my home — I always felt most drawn to the Luna blanket.
The very best part? Luna blankets are significantly less expensive than all the other blankets in this blanket review guide. Most weighted blankets run upward of $100 and many cost more than $200. The queen-size Luna blanket costs less than $80 at 15 or 20 pounds and just $90 at 25 pounds.
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Perhaps the most popular weighted blanket out there, the Gravity Blanket didn’t impress me as much as I thought it would. It feels very similar — nearly identical, actually — to the Luna weighted blanket, except the fabric isn’t quite as soft. If the Gravity blanket were softer and less expensive, it may have earned the title of “best weighted blanket overall.”
I tried the cooling weighted blanket, which is the same as the original Gravity weighted blanket, but with a more breathable, moisture-wicking surface. The Gravity blanket also uses glass beads and is hypoallergenic. This cooling weighted blanket features a premium duvet cover made of breathable material. I love that the Gravity cooling weighted blanket comes with a cover, instead of having to purchase it separately. You can machine-wash the cover, but the weighted inner blanket insert should only be hand-washed.
The Gravity blanket usually retails for $195, but there’s a 25% off coupon right now on Amazon that brings the total for this quality weighted blanket to just under $147.
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If you like chunky knit blankets, the Yaasa Weighted Blanket would easily become a favorite for helping you get restful sleep. This blanket features a soft, super-chunky knit pattern with breathable cotton that leaves plenty of room for air flow. Unlike most weighted blankets, I could sit under this one for hours without getting too warm.
The knit aspect also makes the Yaasa blanket feel more flexible than the traditional type of weighted blanket with plastic beads sewn in. Not to mention, the color (gray mist) is gorgeous and would complement the decor in any home. During testing, I would leave mine draped over the back of my couch when not in use, and this knitted weighted blanket added an element of coziness to my living room.
I tried the 15-pound knit blanket and this weight option was the perfect amount of gentle pressure and right weight for my 5-foot, 6-inch, 140-pound frame. There’s also a 20-pound option, which people with larger bodies — or who just want serious blanket snuggles — might enjoy.
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Amanda Capritto/CNET
I liked the Bearaby knit weighted blanket almost as much as the Yaasa one. However, there’s one minor difference: When I tried the Bearaby Cotton Napper, I thought the sleep blanket felt a bit inflexible compared to the Yaasa blanket, likely because the breathable organic cotton knit is tighter. It’s not a big difference — but enough to notice when using the blankets in succession. The organic cotton fabric is equally as soft. If you tend to feel restricted under weighted blankets, Yaasa is probably a better knitted weighted blanket choice for you. Bearaby has also got another blanket variant called the Tree Napper made from natural eucalyptus fibers that’s perfect for hot sleepers.
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Amanda Capritto/CNET
The Laya weighted sleep blanket is a two-sided wonder. One side of the weighted comforter features a soft, plush material that feels super snuggly and warm (wouldn’t recommend this for warm climates though, unless you keep your house cold). The other side features a 300-thread count, 100% cotton knit, which is incredibly forgiving when it comes to pet hair and messes.
You can toss this whole blanket in the wash, but I never needed to, even with two cats and a dog. Because I always kept the soft side to my skin, pet hair only ever reached the top cotton surface, and I easily removed it by sweeping my hands or running a lint roller over the blanket. If you get pet hair on the plush side, that may be a different story.
As for actual specs, the Layla weighted blanket comes in three weight option sizes: twin, 15 pounds; queen, 20 pounds; and king size, 25 pounds. It’s filled with high-density glass beads, but you’d never know — you can’t hear or feel individual beads in this blanket like you can with some. Each of the Layla blanket weight options has hexagon stitching versus the standard square stitching, which I think looks more stylish, too.
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Amanda Capritto/CNET
Technically, most weighted sleep blankets are machine-washable these days (please check the tag on yours before trying, though). However, I still feel hesitant to throw something so bulky in my washing machine. I once flooded and broke a washer with a king-size comforter, so I’m slightly paranoid now.
The Baloo weighted blanket, however, does not incite fear of washing machine doom like the others. This is for two reasons: The blanket itself is thinner and more flexible than most weighted blankets, but you can also cover it with a Baloo linen duvet cover and just wash the cover. I like the second option because it fully skirts the possibility of flooded laundry room floors.
Baloo weighted blankets come in four sizes with different weight options: weighted throw blanket, 12 pounds; twin, 15 pounds; full/queen, 20 pounds; and king, 25 pounds. Baloo also makes weighted comforters.
I tried the 20-pound blanket, and it’s the only 20-pounder I felt comfortable covering my chest with for more than a few minutes at a time. I’m not sure why this is, as 15 pounds seems to be my limit for comfortably covering my chest. I also didn’t get too hot under this blanket, even using it in South Florida.
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Amanda Capritto/CNET
Most weighted blankets come in solid colors and look like duvets due to the stitching (except for the knit varieties). The SensaCalm weighted sleep blanket looks like something you’d actually buy to top your mattress, thanks to its beautiful stone-pattern fabric.
I tried the full-size SensaCalm weighted blanket in stone gray, and I was blown away at how attractive it was compared to the others. Not to say that the others aren’t attractive — I would have no problem keeping any of these blankets on my couch — but the SensaCalm one is just extra-nice to look at.
Additionally, the quilt pockets are stuffed with polyfill in addition to glass beads, giving the blanket an extremely plush and luxurious look and feel. If you tend to get hot, you can choose the sans-polyfill option for a lighter blanket.
Each blanket comes in a standard weight for the size (for example, the queen comes standard at 15 pounds), but you can opt to make your blanket heavier for an additional cost.
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Amanda Capritto/CNET
I wanted so badly to love Mosaic weighted blankets, because this is a family-owned and operated business based in Austin, Texas, and the company makes all of its products in the US. The owner, Laura LeMond, personally facilitated a blanket shipment for me, and explained how they always have someone available on the phone to discuss blanket size, weight, fabric and other customizations with customers.
Those brand elements aside, though, the weighted blanket I tried wasn’t up to par with the others in terms of comfort. I tried the Coolmax Weighted Blanket in the full size at 15 pounds. The weighted comforter fabric felt nice, but was nothing spectacular. The real differentiator is that the Mosaic weighted blanket has a very large quilt pattern, and the glass beads are very noticeable inside the large sewn pockets.
The beads shift with you when you move, causing the weight to pool where the blanket dips. You can also hear the beads moving around.
However, I do want to point out that Mosaic is the only weighted blanket brand that allows for complete customization. The company offers three fabrics (100% cotton, plush minky and Coolmax), six sizes (children’s, throw, twin, full, queen and king), several colors and patterns, and several weight options for each size.
When shopping, you can customize a number of elements to make a weighted blanket truly designed for your body and preferences. That’s significant to me, considering other brands have just a few sizes, weights and colors.
Weighted blanket FAQs
What does a weighted blanket do?
Weighted blankets use deep pressure touch to help relieve stress and aid in falling asleep. As humans, we respond well to deep pressure touch from an early age — that’s why we swaddle babies.
Studies have shown that deep pressure touch reduces cortisol, the stress hormone, and increases dopamine, serotonin and melatonin hormones, which relax the body and put you at ease. It is also said to trigger our parasympathetic nervous system, which puts our body into a state of relaxation. It’s the exact opposite of the sympathetic nervous system, which stimulates our body’s “fight or flight” response.
How do I wash a weighted blanket?
Weighted blankets come in many different styles, some that are easier to wash than others. Depending on the weight of the blanket and the materials used, you may or may not be able to throw it into your washing machine. Heavier blankets could even damage your machine with repeated washings.
Always check the label of your blanket for cleaning instructions and follow them to protect your blanket and washing machine. Your safest bet is to either spot clean any stains or use a removable, washable cover to keep it clean.
How do I choose the right weight for my weighted blanket?
The general rule for picking the right weight for a weighted blanket is to get one that’s as close to 10% of your body weight that you can. So if you weigh 150 pounds, you’ll want a 15-pound weighted blanket. If you weigh 200 pounds, get a 20-pound blanket and so on.
Blankets that are heavier than 10% of your body weight will be hard to lift off your body, which can make you feel trapped and could be dangerous for anyone with mobility limitations. Lighter than 10% and you might not feel the therapeutic benefits.
If you’re between sizes of the blanket you want to buy — for example, if you weigh 170 and you have to pick between a 15- and 20-pound blanket — you’re better off sizing up.
More sleep recommendations
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
