A Review of Weighted Blankets from Someone with Insomnia

I have been struggling with insomnia on and off since I was about 15 years old but once I hit 30 it seemed to get a bit worse. I have tried absolutely everything under the sun to help me fall asleep. I have heard a lot about weighted blankets helping with anxiety and ADD but it wasn’t until recently I heard about the weighted blanket helping with insomnia.  Since taking an ambien every night isn’t an option I was willing to give the weighted blanket a try. 

I posted about this over on my facebook page and I has shocked with how many of you had similar sleeping issues and were also thinking about trying out a weighted blanket. So I thought I would buy a weighted blanket and give you guys my opinion. Now this is a bit different than my normal DIY or craft but I thought I would keep it real and share some of my own struggles.

I decided to buy the Brookstone weighted blanket from Bed Bath and Beyond. Couple factors made me buy this one the price, the reviews and the fact that I could use my 20% off coupon. Now I have read that you are supposed to get 10% of your body weight well for me that would be a 20 lb+ blanket which are quite pricey. This blanket was $150 (still pricey in my opinion) but I used a 20% off coupon. While the blanket is only 12 lbs it’s a great way to see if it’s worth investing in a heavier blanket. 

Initial thoughts

Initial thoughts on the blanket that it is very soft almost as soft as my Restoration Hardware throw. I was surprised that most of these blankets are the size of a throw. The best way to describe the blanket is that it feels like an oversized heating pad that you put in the microwave. Not in a bad way that’s just how I would describe the weights in them. 

Now I was a bit skeptical until I used it that first night. I fell asleep and I actually didn’t move at all! It felt like I was tucked in. Almost like an adult swaddle. There is something calming about it that seemed to do the trick to get my mind to shut off. After using it a few months I have definitely seen my sleep patterns change. I am getting more restful sleep and sleeping more often than I was before. 

One funny thing is that my cats usually like to sleep with me at night and well half the time on me. Now with the blanket being weighted I can’t tell if there is a cat sleeping on me so if I turn it usually ends up with a cat on the floor, haha. 

The one downside is that a lot of these blankets seem to come in personal sizes similar to throws. I am currently looking for a 20 lb or more blanket that can just slip in my duvet cover like a normal comforter would. I am single so I don’t want to be limited to one side of the bed. Most of the reviews I read about this blanket also mention that the weights tend to shift. I don’t find this problematic if I just shake out the blanket and redistribute the weights evenly when I make my bed. I currently keep my blanket under my duvet so my bed still looks made up. 

Now I feel like I can’t answer questions about being overheated since this has been one of the coldest winters on record but I will try to come back and update during warmer weather. Another benefit of the Brookstone weighted blanket is that it has a zip off cover making it easy to wash. 

Benefits of weighted blankets

• Can increase levels of Serotonin and Melatonin
• Can help you fall asleep and stay asleep
• Calming effect for ADD/ADHD Aspergers and Autism
• Can help with PTSD
• Can help with restless leg syndrome
• Can help with anxiety and panic attacks
• Helps ease the mind for relaxation

Other weighted blankets

• Gravity Blanket Comes in 15lb-25lb size 48 x 78 (throw size)
• Rocabi Comes in 15lb-25lb size 60×80 (size of queen mattress)
• Harkla Comes in 25lb 60 x 76 (shy of queen)
• Roore Comes in 15lb 60×80 (size of queen mattress)

Now these are all blankets that had great reviews and I was specifically looking for either 20+lbs or queen sized. There are many more weighted blankets out there. In fact I have even seen a bunch of DIY versions. This could be a great alternative to the steep price tags. 

If you found this helpful and decided to give a weighted blanket a try let me know in the comments. I would love to hear if this worked or not for you!

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