[bioChE]

Hey all,

I'm considering getting a weighted blanket, and I know that a good number of you have them. I'm looking for recommendations of reputable vendors, and also fill materials and construction fabrics.

Anyone care to share their experience? Anything would help, including things to avoid and anything else you might feel like letting a neophyte know.

Any input is appreciated, thanks.

I won't recommend the company as they are local to me in Canada. My blanket though has weighted disks instead of pellets. I have flannel on one side and cotton on the other. It weighs 20 pounds. All of it was custom, including fabric choices. I love it so much. I sleep with it every night and when my anxiety flares my friends tell me to get under my blanket. Definitely make sure you get the right size and weight. Mine was expensive, but totally worth it.

[bioChE]

Thanks for the information. I'm a 6'2 guy, so I'm pretty much stick with the bigger sizes and am thinking a long twin size at 25 lbs should be about right. My wife and I sleep in a California King bed and she has zero interest in partaking, so my half is about a long twin.

Actually my wife is pushing me in the idea, as I'm having sleep issues (what's new?) and she thinks it might help.

I'm anticipating spending in the ballpark of $200, at least from some brief searching I've done online.

I use Gravity Blanket. I can take a pic when I get home from work.

Not sure how much it costs. I ordered it from Kickstarter before it was released, so I got a discount.

It definitely doesn't fit the whole bed. It is xl twin sized. I believe they do have it up to 25 lb

Edit: I got mine delivered Feb 28, 2018... so it's pretty new. Apparently it's $250. But it's plush kinda.

[BeyondtheRainbow]

One of mine is from WELCOME TO THE MAGIC WEIGHTED BLANKET (Note they do not use beans and do not buy one with beans as it will get moldy). That one is flannel and it isn't the softest flannel but it's ok. It is 10 lbs and I use it for travel and IP stays. It happens to be a twin; they custom make and I'd recommend choosing a soft fabric. I don't remember the price.

My main one is from a place that went out of business. It is full-sized and made of Minkee dot fabric which is very soft. It was about $225 including shipping 12 years ago.

[unaluna]

Not a weighted blanket, but what i use is an empty king size flannel duvet, folded in half, as my top sheet (in winter, anyway!). So that is four layers and very long. Next i have a twin size poly-filled comforter in a cotton duvet. Then on top of that, i have another king size cotton duvet, my fancy one that matches the pillowcases, which is empty unless we are having a very cold winter.

I used this setup for the first time last night, and it was amazing. Very cozy and heavy. I used to have a smaller older rougher flannel duvet - not as nice!

[*Laurie*]

Ohhhh....that sounds so nice!

[bioChE]

Thanks for the recommendations, everyone. They seem like a great idea, but also a lot of coin to drop on something I have no idea whether or not would be of benefit.

I'm torn.

[unaluna]

Originally Posted by bioChE

Thanks for the recommendations, everyone. They seem like a great idea, but also a lot of coin to drop on something I have no idea whether or not would be of benefit.

I'm torn.

Thats why i recommended the flannel duvet. By itself, its almost like the lead apron at the dental office.

[BeyondtheRainbow]

I can tell you that I had never in my life (including infancy) slept through a night until I got mine. I'm an OT and we use them a lot with children. I worked with adult psychiatric patients and had a great deal of success in that scenario as well.

They aren't cheap but they last a long time. My full size one is 12 years old now and still in great shape.

[wildflowerchild25]

I’ve had great success with my weighted blanket. I’m fairly certain I got it from magic blanket. It’s 20lb. If I ever can’t sleep I put it on and I’m asleep within 20 mins. I also used it during a recent mixed day and it worked well to chill me out.

I got mine through a sensory integration therapist - my mother knew her through her work and arranged for me to borrow one to try. The first one wasn't great and the second one I bought a few weeks ago.

The first one had "pockets" with Velcro, and a lot of "sandbags" to fill those pockets with. Only the packs or sand would move to the side of the pockets. To the lowest point, of course. Which meant on either side of me. So I don't recommend one like that.

This one is just stitched. It has pellets in it that make it washable. It's about the size of my bed, but I fold it over twice in the same direction until it's a "strip" the width of the bed. Then I put that part over my hips. I would always feel so vulnerable and naked at night, which is why I wanted to try a blanket. And it works!

Although putting it across my whole body just freaks me out. I prefer it just across my hips.

- I don't really care about the fabric as I use a duvet cover around it anyway
- Don't buy one like that first one I borrowed, as you'll end up between the weight instead of under it. Or you have 1 balled-up sand packet on your belly and nothing next to it; which just feels weird
- Beans and pellets are about equal in weight I'm told, but beans aren't washable.

Also, if you get one and find it doesn't work and actually makes you uncomfortable: you can also just put it over your legs. Or chest. Or, like me, hips. With or without folding it.

By the way there is both 'ball blankets' and 'weighted blankets'. They are often sold in the same webshops but are different. And sometimes they call ball blankets weighted, but they are lighter.
A ball blanket is basically filled with small balls; they offer different pressure. Calming sensation instead of calming weight. It's said to be especially effective for people who like or tend to 'roll' themselves in their blankets.

Mine is 22 lbs and it cost about $285 (converted from euros).

A lot of webshops offer the possibility of a trial by the way - hire it for 2 weeks and if it's not good, return, if it's good, buy (hiring cost is often a discount in those cases). Or a free trial where you only have to pay for shipping to and from.

The blanket doesn't actually help me sleep better but it at really makes me lie awake better. Usually a bad night would be crappy because I'd eventually thought of something crappy (trauma memories); I'd also get a neck-ache because of my tension even when not triggered or especially scared. That's lessened. And that makes a big difference.

Originally Posted by BeyondtheRainbow

I can tell you that I had never in my life (including infancy) slept through a night until I got mine. I'm an OT and we use them a lot with children. I worked with adult psychiatric patients and had a great deal of success in that scenario as well.

They aren't cheap but they last a long time. My full size one is 12 years old now and still in great shape.

I used to wake up 4-5 times a night, no exaggeration. Now I only wake up once, if I wake up at all.

They really are awesome and I do think they're worth the money. I mean, honestly... Think how much a comforter would cost or a duvet would cost, and how much money you'll spend replacing them over 12 years. Probably the same amount of money, roughly.

I also fall asleep faster, if that means anything.

[Blueberrybook]

Thanks for the post. I think one of these would help me as well. Also my daughter, who has many sensory issues/behaviors bordering on the autism spectrum.

[pirilin]

I have one question. How often do you wash it and how. I know, two questions.

[BeyondtheRainbow]

I wash mine whenever I wash regular blankets and in my regular machine (which can handle the weight). Before this washer i went to the laundromat with it.