Best Weighted Blankets For Reducing Anxiety During Sleep

Suffer from a sensory processing disorder or autism? A weighted blanket may help to relieve any anxiety you experience during sleep.

Updated: April 19, 2020

Looking for the best weighted blanket on the market?

Maybe, you’re a poor sleeper who hasn’t had a good night’s rest for ages, or someone who suffers from one of the many sleeping anxiety disorders, either way we understand. You want the best blanket so that you can enjoy a long, uninterrupted, profound sleep.

There’s no question that a snug weighted blanket can offer you precisely that.

Did you know? These heavy blankets, also known as gravity blankets, can make you feel extra comfy because of the deep-touch pressure they offer. In fact, therapists use these blankets to calm down kids with autism and help adults handle stress and anxiety.

The only downside of the popularity of weighted blankets is that there are so many on the market, finding the best one can be rather tricky.

To help you choose the right one for you, we’ve worked up an in-depth review of the best weighted blankets in 2020, as well as a buying guide to help you choose the best one for your needs.

Contents show

Quick Overview

In a rush? The following weighted blankets are our top picks right now.

Name Product Quick Summary More
Zonli Breathable Weighted Blanket Best weighted blanket 100% breathable cotton, very popular with people that are prone to overheating. Get It
Helix Weighted Blanket High quality blanket with a two sided cover and available in three weights. Get It
YnM Weighted Blanket Wide selection of colours and styles, top quality material and cotton outer shell. Get It
Good Knight Weighted Blanket Great for people with sensitive skin, three different weights and a money back guarantee. Get It

What is the Best Weighted Blanket?

Choosing the best weight blanket depends on several factors, including:

  • Materials
  • Construction
  • Durability
  • Appearance
  • Comfort
  • Health Benefits
  • Pros and Cons

Material, Construction, and Durability

Made with 100% breathable cotton and stitched into small squares, this weighted blanket is a classic.

Because of the premium cotton, it is more durable than your typical blanket. Each tiny square sewn in the blanket is filled up with eco-friendly, non-glue polyester padding and hypoallergenic, non-hazardous glass beads.

Appearance

The weighted blanket’s overall design is simply elegant. With its classic grey color, the blanket will look fashionable in your bedroom.

Comfort

Since its breathable, overheating isn’t an issue, making this the blanket ideal to use even in the summertime. Even better, the beads inside distribute weight evenly, which promotes better comfort, as one can feel as if getting a “gentle full-body hug.”

Health Benefits

The ZonLi weighted blanket helps users produce endorphins and dopamine—chemicals that are responsible for happiness. For this reason, it can help you overcome stress and anxiety and sleep better.

Apart from the advantages mentioned above, Zonli weighted blankets have relatively low prices. Additionally, this brand has a broad selection of weights and sizes, so finding the best one for you won’t be a problem.

Unfortunately, Zonli is a ‘hand-wash-dry-clean-only’ blanket. The cover is also sold separately and is not available for all blankets.

Other Popular Blankets

Although we picked the Zonli Breathable Weighted Blanket as the top weighted blanket on the market, it is only right for you to check other popular options.

Here are three more top weighted blankets to consider. Who would’ve thought choosing a blanket required so much more than just looking at its color?

Helix Weighted Blanket

Popular for their customized mattresses, Helix Sleep is a well-known Manhattan e-commerce company founded in 2015. They recently began making sleep accessories as well, such as their weighted blankets, showing their sincere devotion to helping America sleep better.

Photo of the Helix Weighted Blanket.
Get this blanket

Why It’s Awesome

  • Excellent Construction – Made with fleece, microfiber, and glass beads, the Helix Weighted Blanket indeed provides therapeutic pressure. The construction is well-thought-out. 
  • Rock Solid Stitching – Because of the gridded stitching, the glass beads remain evenly distributed in the entire blanket, never gathering only in one area. You can be sure that this gravity blanket will give you maximum comfort nightly.
  • Two-Sided Cover – The Helix Weighted Blanket is designed to make your sleep extra cozy. As it features two-sided cover designs, with fleece on one side and microfiber on the other, this weighted blanket is perfect for those who enjoy variety. Whether you just like to snuggle for a few hours, or you want to sleep deeply, you will surely enjoy the feeling of the sheared, velvety microfibers, and the warmth of the soft fleece.
  • Available in Different Weights – The Helix weighted blanket is available in multiple weights. Depending on your body weight, you can select a weight of 10, 15, or 20 pounds.

Some Imperfections

  • Noisy Glass Bead Shifting – The glass beads don’t gather in one area, but since they are designed to distribute in the entire blanket, they shift from time to time, which can be a bit noisy. 
  • You can hear the beads whenever you reposition the blanket – moving and clicking together. If you get easily irritated by these small noises, then you should consider looking for a different blanket to buy.
  • Ideal Only for Warming – This gravity blanket is not a cooling weighted blanket, that’s for sure. If you live in a not-so-cold area or you just get quite hot easily, you should definitely check other weighted blankets on the market. Because of the velvety microfiber and fuzzy fleece, the blanket is truly suitable for users who are looking to get warm.
  • Complicated Care – The Helix Weighted has a duvet cover, which is quite easy to remove and launder in a gentle cycle and dry on tumble low. However, you can’t wash the inner blanket as the weighted portion is spot-clean only. The inner part is rather difficult to dry, so you should avoid getting it too wet. You can try using a damp cloth to clean some parts.

YnM Weighted Blanket

YnM may not have the brand notoriety of some of the other options on our list, but their blankets are just as good. 

Photo of the YnM Weighted Blanket.
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Why It’s Awesome

  • Broad Selection of Colors and Size – Looking for variety? This gravity blanket is available in an assortment of sizes, weights, and colors. Since the YnM Weighted Blanket is available in five sizes and ten weight options, there should be something ideal for almost every family member.

    To boot, you can choose from an assortment of about 22 different colors of duvet covers. That’s because YnM Company, the manufacturer, also makes an extensive range of duvet covers. You can choose from a variety of textures and patterns as well.
  • Top-Quality Material and Construction – The gravity blanket has a seven-layer design for maximum comfort, quality padding, even weight distribution, and glass bead protection. The glass beads used are non-toxic, hypoallergenic, and odorless.

    As it is secured perfectly into small pockets, the bead filling doesn’t move and shift much. YnM makes sure that their seams are well sewn, so as to avoid leakage and wear-and-tear damage.
  • Cotton Outer Shell – The YnM Weighted Blanket has a quality cotton outer shell. Note that cotton is one of the most durable materials that you’ll come across, ever. It is wash-resistant, so you can expect that your weighted blanket will last for a rather long time to help you sleep better. 

Some Imperfections

  • Covers Are Sold Separately – Although YnM is available in 22 different colors and designs, the duvet covers don’t come with the blanket. You have to buy the covers individually, which, of course, means additional costs for you. 
  • Can Be Too Warm – The heat can be too much for some users, especially the original YnM Weighted Blanket. Good thing that the manufacturer now offers cooling weighted blankets made of bamboo – definitely a good option for those who sweat easily. 

Good Knight Weighted Blanket

Offering a 100% money-back guarantee, Good Knight stands behind their product—their only product. The company exclusively makes weighted blankets, and they are good at what they do.

Photo of the Good Knight Weighted Blanket.
Get this blanket

Why It’s Awesome

  • Perfect for Sensitive Skin – Do you suffer from sensitivities towards some fabrics? A hypoallergenic weighted blanket might be the way to go to keep those allergies at bay. This top-quality gravity blanket is made of 100% premium cotton sewn into squares. Each tiny square is loaded with non-toxic poly-pellets – helping you feel warm and comfortable throughout the night.
  • Comes in Three Different Weights – The Good Knight Weighted Blanket comes in three weights, including 15, 17, and 20 pounds. These weights are ideal for kids and adults alike.
  • Even Weight Distribution – The hypoallergenic weighted blanket simply feels like a full-body hug. That’s because the weight is distributed evenly on the entire blanket. As the pressure is therapeutic, it will definitely help you fall asleep faster than usual.

Some Imperfections

  • Duvet Cover is Sold Separately – A cover is not included. However, there are duvet covers available for the Good Knight Weighted Blanket. These covers are also made of 100% premium cotton.
  • Can Pick Up Pet Hair – If you own a dog or a cat, you probably will want to keep this weighted blanket away from them. Some users report that the blankets pick up pet hair quickly. To avoid this, you might want to consider ordering a duvet cover. It will be easier for you to wash and keep clean. 

Types of Weighted Blankets

Not all weighted blankets are created equal. Their differences can be based on their specific purposes. To give you an idea about their variety, here is a rundown of some of the most popular kinds of weighted blankets:

Cooling Weighted Blanket

Temperature icon.

Are you a hot sleeper? We understand that sometimes in the middle of the night, you tend to toss your blankets aside to let your skin ‘breathe.’ You won’t have to do this anymore as the cooling weighted blanket will keep you from getting too hot.

These blankets are made from bamboo fabric and get rid of sweat and moisture, hence the cooling effect. Additionally, these blankets are lighter as they contain more glass beads, unlike those that are filled with dense polyester.

Chenille Weighted Blanket

Feather icon.

If you miss your pet, and you’re looking to cuddle something fluffy, this blanket is ideal for you! Evidently, chenille weighted blankets are, as the name suggests, made of ‘chenille,’ which is a very fluffy fabric.

Designed to help you cope with stress and anxiety, this kind of blanket is considered the softest weighted blanket ever.

Minky Weighted Blanket

Radiator icon.

Do you live in a cold climate? Or maybe you have a low body temperature? A Minky weighted blanket could be the perfect solution for you! 

This blanket creates a feeling of softness and provides comfort to its users. It is made of Minky fabric that will give you the warmth that you need. Although not as soft as chenille, the material is quite silky, which makes it smooth on your skin.

Waterproof Weighted Blanket 

Water droplets icon.

This weighted blanket is like the ‘Superman’ of all the weighted blankets. Why?

Well, apart from being waterproof, most of these weighted blankets are also fire-resistant and anti-microbial, enabling you to sleep not only comfortably, but also safely.

This can be a great peace of mind for parents with children that require extra support during sleep.

What is a Weighted Blanket?

Photo of a woman carrying weighted blankets.

A Bit of History

Weighted blankets have been used in sensory integration therapies for many years. Carried out by occupational therapists, this medical care aims to help people with sensory processing issues.

The treatment is offered to those who have autism or other sensory processing disorders (SPDs). It aims to help these individuals to focus on their sensory experiences. Experts say that through the help of weighted blankets, these individuals may boost their ability to manage their own emotions and behaviors.

Weighted blankets are usually around 10 to 20 pounds. They can be used by almost anyone, both kids and adults.

What Are Weighted Blankets Made Of?

The materials used to make a weighted blanket can determine the overall feeling of the blanket. A weighted blanket can have multiple materials, which make it heavier, to begin with.

The two most commonly used options in top weighted blankets on the market are plastic pellets and glass beads. All the same, you can chance upon blankets that have sand, rice, millet, or even lead as fillers.

How It Works

Question mark icon.

To understand what a weighted blanket is, you have to think of how hugs or cuddles work.

The weight or heaviness of a weighted blanket is what makes it comforting and therapeutic to begin with. In essence, the heavy materials inside the blanket like discs, beads, glass pellets, or sand, press down on the body. This pressure then makes one feel as if they are being embraced.

We all have heard of the awesome scientific benefits of a hug. Apart from lifting one’s mood, it can:

  • Support the immune system
  • Lower heart rate
  • Lower stress
  • Improve sleep

A weighted blanket works the same, although technically, it’s not intended to cure medical conditions. It’s just that a weighted blanket can make you feel more comfortable and relaxed.

One interesting study with 32 adult participants showed that 63% of them experienced much lower levels of anxiety after using a 30-pound weighted blanket for five minutes.

Best Weighted Blankets Conclusion

The “best” weighted blanket depends on your personal preference.

It is a matter of knowing what you need and what you want at the moment. This point applies whether you’re also looking for a comforter, a duvet, or an electric blanket. Assessing your preferences are is essential to make your purchase as seamless as possible.

But, if you want the most popular blanket on the market right now, then you should go for the Zonli Breathable Weighted Blanket.

Keep in mind that you must consider the ideal weight and size of the blanket more than anything. A weighted blanket that is too small, too big, too light, or too heavy will not be therapeutic for you – which defeats its purpose.

Pro Tip: Look for a blanket with a weight of around 10% of your body weight. Be that as it may, you may add some weight to the blanket, depending on your preference. Take note that adding 1 to 2 pounds for children and 1 to 3 pounds for adults is still okay as long as it still feels comfortable.