If you are troubled by anxiety or have difficulty sleeping, a weighted blanket (AKA gravity blanket) may help. In this post, I'll explain what weighted blankets are, how they work, their benefits for children and adults, and what to look for when you are "weighing" your options to buy one. 

I've been noticing the idea of weighted blankets potentially helping people for a while, but a recent glowing testimonial from one of my anxiety clients who received a weighted blanket as a gift has put them on my list of go-to natural remedies for anxiety.

My client's experience with a weighted blanket is that it helps him get to sleep more easily and stay asleep longer. He has also found that sleeping with a weighted blanket has reduced his anxiety. That's a win/win/win that is negative side-effect free. 

Post Updated: November 2024 with new peer-reviewed research results.  

What's In This Post

Note: This post is based on my research. It is not intended to replace personalized advice from your medical professionals. 

For recommendations on specific weighted blankets, check out this post: Best and Worst Weighted Blankets Reviews

What is a Weighted Blanket?

Weighted blankets look like ordinary blankets but they have beads made from glass or plastic, or another weight source between their two cloth layers so that they are heavier than a normal blanket.   

They are available in different weights from 5 pounds to about 25 pounds. The most common weight for adults is either 15 or 20 pounds. 

Weighted blankets have therapeutic benefits that I'll talk about more in a minute.

These blankets aren't for everyone. Some people love them. Some people don't. Read on for tips on how to optimize you're purchase so you can give them a try and find out if they work for you. 

How do Weighted Blankets Work?

The weight of these blankets offers deep touch pressure that mimics a hug.

According to Mayo Clinic's Dr. Adam Perlman weighted blankets reduce stress hormones and increase feel-good relaxing neurotransmitters and the love hormone, oxytocin.

In summary, weighted blankets: 

• Increase serotonin
• Increase dopamine
• Decrease cortisol
• Increase oxytocin

Weighted Blanket Wellness Benefits for Children and Adults

The use of heavy blankets grew over the last two decade as caregivers found that their homemade versions relaxed and soothed autistic children. Mass production of the form of weighted blankets we now see has expanded people's positive experience using them for a broadened range of conditions. 

What are the benefits of sleeping with a weighted blanket? 

Weighted blankets may help your sleep, mental health, and mood. 

They show promising symptom improvement in many conditions including:

• Anxiety (including PTSD)
• Insomnia
• Stress
• ADHD
• Autism
• Sensory Processing Disorder
• Fibromyalgia
• Restless Leg Syndrome
• Depression

The blankets can be used on your bed for sleep or as a couch throw for relaxation. 

The Research Behind Weighted Blanket Benefits for Anxiety, Sleep, and More

What's the science-based research on weighted blanket benefits?

As with all natural remedies, there is limited research into the effectiveness of weighted blankets. There are, however, there are a growing number of studies with promising results.

A Swedish study of 30 people with insomnia found that the study participants slept longer and reported that they "liked sleeping with the blanket, found it easier to settle down to sleep and had an improved sleep, where they felt more refreshed in the morning." (Positive Effects of a Weighted Blanket on Insomnia, Journal of Sleep Medicine & Disorders, 2015)

The results of an American study of 32 people: "63% reported lower anxiety after use, and 78% preferred the weighted blanket as a calming modality." The study's check of vital signs such as pulse and blood pressure also demonstrated that the use of weighted blankets is safe. (Exploring the Safety and Therapeutic Effects of Deep Pressure Stimulation Using a Weighted Blanket,  Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 2014.)

A 2024 article in Frontiers in Psychiatry, summarized results from weighted blanket research around the world. The authors' conclusion: 

"Most of the included studies showed that weighted blankets could effectively improve sleep quality and alleviate negative emotions and daytime symptoms in patients with sleep disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and other related disorders, with a possible mechanism of deep pressure touch."

Australian health care professionals and professors looked at 18 weighted blanket research projects. Their 2024 article, Weighted Blankets as a Sleep Intervention: A Scoping Review, reported positive results for "improved sleep, reduction in medication use, and improved mood." 

How to Choose a Weighted Blanket 

Note: For specific information about how different brands of blankets stack up when compared for the 12 considerations that I list below, check out my blog post: Best and Worst Weighted Blankets Reviews.

In researching weighted blankets, I discovered that there are a lot of things to consider when choosing which one(s) I would recommend.

I broke it down into 12 considerations for choosing a weighted blanket:

1. Weight
2. Size
3. Fabric
4. Weight source
5. Quietness
6. Weight distribution
7. Anti-leak
8. Odorless
9. Washability
10. Warmth
11. Cost
12. Guarantee 

1. What is a good weight for your weighted blanket?

These formulas for calculating the weight of your blanket are broadly accepted as general rules:

Adults: 10% of ideal body weight

The most common weights for adults are 15 and 20 lbs.

Some weighted blanket companies take a different approach to choosing the correct weight. For example, this is what Luxome says about optimizing weighted blanket weight:

"Selecting a blanket based on body weight is actually incorrect and not based on science or fact. The correct measurement is actually the weight per area of the blanket. We conducted our own studies and found an ideal weight per square foot that nearly all men, women, adults, and children agreed on. All Luxome weighted blankets are optimized to this ratio, so just select a size and you can rest assured it’s the perfect weight." 

[  I talk more about the Luxome weighted blanket options in this post: Best and Worst Weighted Blankets Reviews. ]

2. What size of weighted blanket should I get?

These blankets come in a variety of sizes for children, adults, and couples. 48"x72" is the most common size for adults to use for sleeping or as a throw blanket.

Weighted blankets are meant to cover you from your shoulders past your toes. They aren't intended to cover the bed and go over the sides like a typical blanket or duvet.

3. What fabrics do they use for weighted blankets?

There are a wide variety of fabrics to choose from. My preference is for naturally sourced fabrics such as those made from cotton or bamboo. 

Bamboo has many bonus qualities that may make it even better than cotton. Bamboo is highly absorbent, very breathable, ultra-soft, and hypo-allergenic, as well as odor, mold, mildew, and bacteria resistant. For people who tend towards being hot when they sleep, bamboo may be helpful as it tends to be cooler than other fabrics including cotton.

The outer layers of weighted blankets can be smooth or "minky." Minky fabrics are plush polyester that often has varied depth resulting in intermittent raised areas. They seem to be fairly common in weighted blankets because they are reminiscent of some baby blankets and potentially have soothing benefits. Personally, I don't think polyester is a great sleeping companion. 

Some blankets provide 2 options in one by having a minky side and a plain-fabric side. 

4. What's the weight source in weighted blankets?

The most common weight sources are plastic or glass beads. Some newer designs are using quartz or ceramic beads.  

Besides being unnatural, plastic beads tend to be large, give a lumpy texture to the blanket, and bunch up. Plastic weight sources are used by so few brands now that it is a marker of blankets that are cheaply constructed and poorly engineered. 

Look for manufacturer's to mention that their weight source is non-toxic. 

5. Quietness: You don't want a noisy blanket.

6. Even weight distribution is important.

To get the hug benefits from weighted blankets the weight must be distributed evenly across the surface area.

Most brands address the issue of weight distribution by using quilt-like stitching of square "pockets" into the blanket, so the pellets or other weight sources can't shift with use and undermine the purpose of the blanket.

The size of pockets sewn into the blanket will impact its ability to maintain weight distribution. 5" x 5" was a common quilting size for weighted blankets but in 2024 many blankets offer smaller pocket sizes. The smallest I have seen is 2"x2". (See my Weighted Blanket Reviews article for more about pocket sizes in current blankets.)

7. Look for assurance that the blanket has anti-leak construction.

Look for the manufacturer to mention that they have taken precautions that the pellets won't leak through the fabric or stitching with use. 

8. Does the blanket say that it is odorless?

Since a number of product listings for weighted blankets specifically mention "odorless," it appears that some weighted blankets have a problem with odor. 

9. Is the weighted blanket washable?

It seems to me that the ability to wash a blanket is important, but some weighted blanket brands are not washable. The worst say they need to be dry cleaned or spot cleaned. That is much less common than when I first started looking into weighted blankets in 2019. Now most are at least hand washable and hang to dry, and the best are machine washable and dryable.  

Removable/washable duvet covers are an option with some of the weighted blankets. Some come with a duvet cover and others have an option to purchase a cover. Take note of the number of duvet cover connection tie loops there are on the blanket. Four is the minimum, but many blankets have more connection tie loops so that the weight of the blanket doesn't shift inside the cover. The highest number of tie connections I came across was 16. (That blanket makes my "best weighted blankets" list.)

I think that it's important that the weighted blanket be washable even if they have a duvet cover. 

10. What level of warmth do you like?

Weighted blankets don't have to be hot. Some have additional batting or heavy fabrics that will make them warmer than others. Many mention that they are "cool."

Minky covers add warmth. Bamboo may be the coolest.

Look for what suits your personal preference. 

11. How much do weighted blankets cost?

These blankets come in a wide range of costs, from $30 to $250. 

12. Does the blanket come with a guarantee?

Many of the weighted blanket manufacturers are willing to back up their product with a 30-day risk-free return guarantee. Some have 3-month, 1-year, or even lifetime warranties. These seem like big pluses to me, since you can't know how it will work out for you without giving it a test run. 

What are the Risks of Using a Weighted Blanket?

Anyone using a weighted blanket should be able to put it on and remove it themselves. 

Some sources say weighted blankets are NOT for children under the age of 1, and some sources say 2. (One manufacturer has this on their website: "Their use with children under 2 could be fatal.") 

They are also contraindicated for people with:

1. Claustrophobia
2. Breathing difficulties (like asthma or sleep-apnea)
3. Blood pressure issues
4. Fragile skin
5. Circulation problems
6. Mobility problems
7. Wounds
8. Diabetes

I see that some brands recommend against the use of weighted blankets for pregnant women. 

3 Additional Cautions

Don't use a blanket designed for someone bigger or heavier than you.

Don't put the blanket up higher than your chin.

As with any natural remedy, check with your medical provider to make sure it is safe for you.

Weighted Blankets Reviews

Click here to see my Best and Worst Review lists for weighted blanket brands. 

Anti-Anxiety Books and Resources

I've learned a lot about dealing with anxiety through decades of helping counseling clients reduce their anxiety and increase their stress resilience, as well as my personal experience with anxiety stemming from a challenging childhood. I created books, worksheets, and recordings to pass that learning on to you. Check out this post: 

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