Are you planning on buying a weighted blanket online or in a shop? If you are you might want to stop for a moment and read this post. What I am about to tell you is ten well-researched facts about weighted blankets, some of which feature rather painful truths that you really need to consider. Some would call this article controversial, but I would just say it is bringing you the painful facts and nothing else…
Weighted Blanks Can Kill
There, I said it. Let’s get the biggest elephant in the room out of the way by telling you there have been a handful of deaths caused by the use of a weighted blanket. Sadly most of those deaths were children and that brings me onto the next fact which is related to the cause of most of these said deaths…
Weight is The Most Important Issue
Forget the quality of the blanket, forget how cheap it is or how well-known the brand name is, the most important thing to consider when buying a weighted blanket is getting the weight right and making sure it never goes over 10% of your own body weight. Size also comes into a factor on this as a 10kg blanket will often weigh the same if it is a single, double or a king-size blanket. This is VITALLY important when it comes to children as they will often sleep with blankets over their head and sadly that has caused many of the deaths mentioned.
They Don’t Work For Everyone
Sadly the benefits of weighted blankets are nothing more than psychology and that could mean you fork out all that money for a weighted blanket and not get any benefits from it. You really should read my post “Ten Things to Consider Before Buying a Weighted Blanket” before making a purchase as there are some great things to consider in there, like the fact that it might not be for you. There is no science or study data behind weighted blankets, its just a personal choose and a personal benefit rather than a universal one.
Brand & Price Are Meaningless
This is mostly related to the above fact in the point that it doesn’t matter what brand name the weighted blanket is, nor does it matter how much you pay for it. You should always test yourself out with a cheaper one to see if you get any benefits from it before spending crazy amounts of money on one that is of better quality. Many companies will try and tell you theirs offers the best psychological results, but that is simply not true, nor possible as they all offer the same results.
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Weighted Also Means They are Awkward
I would consider myself a fairly strong/large person who doesn’t have much trouble lifting most things but trying to pull a weighted blanket back onto your body at 3 AM is not easy. Nor is trying to get them back into their covers if those said covers are washable. If you are not able to lift the weighted blanket easily you have probably brought the wrong weight as it is not just going to be on your back or legs, there will be times when you have to lift it all like when you need to ‘shake it out’, or when someone moves it downstairs for you. Does your career, partner or family member do all the washing and bed changing? If so can they lift it easily as well? It is something to consider for sure.
You Might Wet The Bed
There have been many stories of people wetting even defecating their beds because their weighted blanket they brought for themselves or by someone else was simply too heavy for them. My own partner got a weighted blanket for her Granddad who was sadly frail and rather weak bladdered, who on a good night would get up at least ten times to use the toilet. On the first night, he simply couldn’t lift the blanket off himself to go to the bathroom and wet himself right there, multiple times. This is again why getting the right weight is so important.
There is No Peer-Reviewed Research On Them
If a company claims they have done studies and research on their weighted-blankets you really need to take that information with a piece of salt as there have been NO medical papers published that have been peer-reviewed by the worlds leading Psychologist and medical doctors. Yes, some people (like myself) do benefit from them, but not everyone well and there is zero evidence to suggest it is anything more than a matter of personal tastes and benefits.
Weighted Blankets Are Often NOT The Answer
If you are having restless nights or trouble dropping off you should really seek medical advice rather than a blanket with weight inside of it. For most people simply getting the right medication or therapy help for their mental health issues is the right way to go. Sure, a psychologist might suggest you get a weighted blanket, but I wouldn’t rush out straight away and get one without trying many other things first.
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Some Are Not Washable
While some of them will have removable covers you need to know there isn’t a weighted blanket on sale that you can fully wash. In fact, many of them would probably destroy your washing machine if you tried to wash them fully. Making sure they have removable covers is a great buying tip as some of the cheaper ones don’t have this but they are still great for use as a throw or daytime blanket, rather than one you sleep with as you might sweat in the night and that can leak through to the inside material.
They Can’t Be Used With Any Other Covers
You can’t really put your weighted blanket inside a duvet cover, nor can you sleep with a weighted blanket over your duvet as it will get too hot. Then there is the fact that the blankets that re big enough to sleep with are often too heavy for most people to have a good nights sleep with. When I first brought a weighted blanket I tried sleeping with it all sorts of ways, in the end, I decided it was best off on its own rather than with anything else, even though at 6ft 3inches my feet hang out of the bottom of the blanket as I simply can’t sleep with both the blanket and overs.
Conclusion: I know some of these facts and hard truths have been a little hard-hitting, but that is all they are, they are the truth and might not represent your thoughts on weighted blankets. I personally use one and couldn’t sleep without it (and it was one of the cheapest I could get). In fact, I have never slept better since owning one. But knowledge is power and these facts should be known to anyone considering buying one. If you have one or simply hate them do let me know in the comments below.
