Weighted blanket purpose

[Globetrotter]

I don’t think my teens have sensory issues, per se, but they like comfy clothes and a cozy environment, soft bedding and memory foam pillows. I’m thinking of getting them weighted blankets because I feel they might like that. Is that overkill?

Also, i don’t sleep as well as I used to.. wondering if that might help. Thoughts?

[JamiMac]

I don’t have a weighted blanket so can’t answer that, but my 17 year old DD’s bed is like a nest! She has the same memory foam pillows and topper and tons of soft blankets. She’s asking my mil to knit her a blanket with that giant sized yarn. I can’t think of what it’s called now, but the blankets from it are really heavy.


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[dogmom]

OK, I have NO scientific studies or back this up, it I wouldn’t. I think there are a spectrum of sensory issues. Kids with a lot of sensory triggers that make it harder to interact with the environment benefit from therapy to either intergrate or desensitize them slightly to make there life easier. My daughter also likes piles of blankets and stuff. I think she had borderline issues as a baby, very colicky, finally started sleeping through the night when she could put a blanket over her head. She hangs out on the couch with one blanket, then two, I ignored it. Then we went through weeks of fighting about her wanting to bring a blanket to the dinner table. She’s 12. It was ridiculous. I’m sure she would LOVE a weighted blanket, but I would never get it off of her. They aren’t cheap, next think I know she would probably be dragging that to the dinner table and I would be buying two for college. But I’m sure she would be fine without it. Contrast that with the fact that I never super bundled up my babies with those car seat cozies and the like. We live in NE, suck it up! I’m not letting them get hyperthermia, it I didn’t want to keep the house at 70 degrees in the winter. Now the only one that complains about cold weather is my DH and I got to scream at my kids to wear a jacket when it’s freezing.

I’ve used weighted blankets for certain types of patients in the hospitals with intense sensory issues. My advise for someone who is one standard deviation from the mean is not to start. They aren’t cheap and they can be a pain to clean.

I’m not sure what your age is, it it might just be that. It doesn’t get better as you get older. Start reading up on sleep hygiene and try meditation sooner than later. Wish I had.

[khm]

I don't have a weighted blanket, but I sleep colder than my husband so I started putting an extra blanket over my side of the bed. One night the blanket I grabbed was a homemade denim quilt thing, pretty heavy but not weighted blanket heavy.

I don't think I've EVER gotten a better nights sleep. I was snug as a bug. Whenever it is actually cold enough, I go that route!

So, maybe think about just a heavy-ish regular blanket vs. an actual therapeutic weighted blanket.

[MSWR0319]

My 10 year old has a weighted blanket. I sometimes sneak in his room on weekends and sleep in his bed after he has woken up because I LOVE that thing. It is so cozy and it truly makes me sleep better. I have no sensory issues (DS has some minor ones and it helps him tremendously) but that blanket just makes it dreamy to sleep! I see no reason to not get them one if it's something they'd like. It won't hurt you. You can get them cheaper now at Target or Kohls (they just had them around $50 or $60 on sale) and if it helps you or them sleep better it's a win!

[khalloc]

I am considering getting one for DH. He tosses and turns and sometimes wakes up with panic attacks and cant get back to sleep.

[mm123]

I don’t have a weighted blanket so can’t answer that, but my 17 year old DD’s bed is like a nest! She has the same memory foam pillows and topper and tons of soft blankets. She’s asking my mil to knit her a blanket with that giant sized yarn. I can’t think of what it’s called now, but the blankets from it are really heavy.


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I just knit DD2 a blanket from this yarn:

https://www.michaels.com/bernat®-blanket-big™-yarn/10519837.html

That stuff is amazing. Very thick, heavy and plush. And the blanket is incredibly soft, cozy and heavy (and machine washable!!). DD2 is also one of those kids who sits on the couch with 3 blankets, and just seems to need the weight. She loves this blanket. I’m definitely no expert knitter, don’t know any fancy stitches- I just basically made a GIANT scarf with only the knit stitch. It was super quick since the needles and yarn are so thick.

DD1 loves her sister’s blanket so much I’m going to make her one too!

[scrooks]

My nieces were asking my mil in for them for Christmas and I said I wanted one too. I figure it’s not harmful if it helps a person sleep better!

[marymoo86]

I don't have a weighted blanket, but I sleep colder than my husband so I started putting an extra blanket over my side of the bed. One night the blanket I grabbed was a homemade denim quilt thing, pretty heavy but not weighted blanket heavy.

I don't think I've EVER gotten a better nights sleep. I was snug as a bug. Whenever it is actually cold enough, I go that route!

So, maybe think about just a heavy-ish regular blanket vs. an actual therapeutic weighted blanket.

Purely anecdotal as well but remember sleeping easily under homemade quilts. Loved the weight and made me feel cozy.

Also look into epsom salt baths. Most of us are deficient in Mag and extra helps relax the body for sleep.

[Cam&Clay]

DS2 and I both use weighted blankets, and we love them so much that we even travel with them. (Well, we wouldn't FLY, but by car!) We both have anxiety, but I have terrible insomnia. Mine weighs 18 pounds and his weighs 13. DS1 and DH think we are crazy and that the blankets make them feel like they are trapped!

[nfceagles]

I have thought about getting one simply because I like a hefty blanket on me at night wether I’m cold or not. I lay an extra fleece over my side of the bed. But one of my worries is that it’s too heavy to travel with and I won’t sleep well when we travel because I’m too used to it. As it is, I sometimes lay an extra towel over top of the blanket if the hotel’s blanket is inadequate.


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[MommyAllison]

I just knit DD2 a blanket from this yarn:

https://www.michaels.com/bernat®-blanket-big™-yarn/10519837.html

That stuff is amazing. Very thick, heavy and plush. And the blanket is incredibly soft, cozy and heavy (and machine washable!!). DD2 is also one of those kids who sits on the couch with 3 blankets, and just seems to need the weight. She loves this blanket. I’m definitely no expert knitter, don’t know any fancy stitches- I just basically made a GIANT scarf with only the knit stitch. It was super quick since the needles and yarn are so thick.

DD1 loves her sister’s blanket so much I’m going to make her one too!

How many skeins did it take, and what pattern did you use? My DDs have asked for me to make blankets for them :) thanks!

[Globetrotter]

Thanks all for taking the time to respond!
I always thought it was a therapeutic device but then I saw them advertised at bed bath and beyond and that made me wonder!
OK, after reading your responses it occurred to me that I’ll probably be going through menopause soon so it’s probably not the best idea in case I get hot flashes 😂
All three of us have mild anxiety, but when I was going through a very bad time I had real trouble sleeping and started doing guided meditations. Nowadays it’s not bad at all but I do have bad sleep habits with my devices.
I think DD could probably have benefited from this a lot in the past, and even now she doesn’t sleep as well..
Ds just likes to be cozy! I’m going to the store to check it out and see how it feels. None of us have heavy bedding now, come to think of it.

I don’t have the skill or patience to knit one, though I wish I did.

[mm123]

How many skeins did it take, and what pattern did you use? My DDs have asked for me to make blankets for them :) thanks!

I used 8 skeins, and it was enough for a twin size. It didn’t hang way over, so you may want 9 skeins if you want it wider or longer. She’s in bed now, but I can measure it tomorrow if you want to know exactly how long/wide it came out. She chose 3 colors, so I did stripes- each stripe was 1 skein.

I didn’t use a pattern. I just knit 32 stitches across (not joining), on a 47” circular needle, size 25mm (US50). I kept going with knit stitch until all the skeins were done. Like I said, I just kept knitting, like I was making a giant scarf- nothing fancy!

Does that make sense?


I’ve also made this blanket for the couch:https://www.yarnspirations.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-master-catalog-spinrite/default/dwdfcc99e8/PDF/BRK0502-000969M.pdf, using this yarn: https://www.michaels.com/bernat-blanket-yarn/10346027.html#q=bernat+blanket+yarn&start=3

It’s also super easy to make, though it takes longer, since the yarn and needles are thinner. The pattern uses double yarn, though, so it also comes out very cozy and soft, though not as thick and heavy as the one I made for DD’s bed.

[Cam&Clay]

I don’t find mine to be too hot at all! In summer, I am comfortable with just the weighted blanket and in winter I add another one on top. I definitely run warm and have hot flashes but the blanket hasn’t been a problem.


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[niccig]

Purely anecdotal as well but remember sleeping easily under homemade quilts. Loved the weight and made me feel cozy..

DH has 2 quilts my mom made. In winter he has both on his bed over a comforter. It is cozy. He’s been having sleep issues so I may see about adding another blanket and if it helps, look into a weighted blanket.


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[Globetrotter]

I don’t find mine to be too hot at all! In summer, I am comfortable with just the weighted blanket and in winter I add another one on top. I definitely run warm and have hot flashes but the blanket hasn’t been a problem.


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Really? I think I’ll have to just try it.

[MSWR0319]

I don’t find mine to be too hot at all! In summer, I am comfortable with just the weighted blanket and in winter I add another one on top. I definitely run warm and have hot flashes but the blanket hasn’t been a problem.


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I agree. We don't get hot with ours on, we just reduce the amount of blankets on top. The material DS's is made out of isn't very thick or hot, so it stays cool, which he loves. DS sleep walks if he gets overheated and we don't seem to have issues with that unless he decides he's wearing a sweatshirt to bed.

[magnoliaparadise]

Purely anecdotal as well but remember sleeping easily under homemade quilts. Loved the weight and made me feel cozy.

Also look into epsom salt baths. Most of us are deficient in Mag and extra helps relax the body for sleep.

Marymoo, you mean just a bath with epsom salt in it? Or since you are mentioning deficiency, do you mean eating it? Sorry if this is an absolutely inane question!.. Just not sure how one becomes less deficient if epsom salt is only in the bath?

[magnoliaparadise]

I am following. And following and following. Getting a weighted blanket is on my short list that I just haven't gotten to yet.

I have posted here before about my 7 year old who is seriously (seriously) off the wall at night, like I've seen feats I had never thought possible. Which would be fine if it were day time or in the context of some cirque du soleil. But otherwise, no. So I will check these weighted blankets out. I had no idea that they were selling (on the cheap, or at least more cheap) in Target or Kohls now. Sounds like they have gone mainstream.

I, too, LOVE the feel of heavy blankets, but I laughed when a poster said 'trapped' because I can totally understand how I would feel that way, too, if I didn't love that feeling as much as I do. I just find my sleep is so much better with heavier blankets.

[magnoliaparadise]

OK, I have NO scientific studies or back this up, it I wouldn’t. I think there are a spectrum of sensory issues. Kids with a lot of sensory triggers that make it harder to interact with the environment benefit from therapy to either intergrate or desensitize them slightly to make there life easier. My daughter also likes piles of blankets and stuff. I think she had borderline issues as a baby, very colicky, finally started sleeping through the night when she could put a blanket over her head. She hangs out on the couch with one blanket, then two, I ignored it. Then we went through weeks of fighting about her wanting to bring a blanket to the dinner table. She’s 12. It was ridiculous. I’m sure she would LOVE a weighted blanket, but I would never get it off of her. They aren’t cheap, next think I know she would probably be dragging that to the dinner table and I would be buying two for college. But I’m sure she would be fine without it. Contrast that with the fact that I never super bundled up my babies with those car seat cozies and the like. We live in NE, suck it up! I’m not letting them get hyperthermia, it I didn’t want to keep the house at 70 degrees in the winter. Now the only one that complains about cold weather is my DH and I got to scream at my kids to wear a jacket when it’s freezing.

I’ve used weighted blankets for certain types of patients in the hospitals with intense sensory issues. My advise for someone who is one standard deviation from the mean is not to start. They aren’t cheap and they can be a pain to clean.

I’m not sure what your age is, it it might just be that. It doesn’t get better as you get older. Start reading up on sleep hygiene and try meditation sooner than later. Wish I had.

This made me laugh! I totally get where you are coming from. I do NOT feel this way about blankets - but I feel this way about other things, like iphones, when my kids want them and I'm thinking 'ughhhh nooooo'. Just like you feel about weighted blankets, I feel like getting one is expensive, and worse, one big head ache because it opens a relentless can of worms... including wanting to take it to the dinner table all the time!

So, just to say... I totally feel where you are coming from even though I personally have no issues with weighted blankets, especially if on the cheap. I also loved the 'suck it up' about the NE weather. I feel like my kids sometimes whine about things that are just part of living - walking too far, driving too far, having to eat vegetables, dealing with cold weather, doing someone a favor that might be out of our way, following through on a commitment that is taking a bit more time or energy than anticipated, but other people are counting on - and I am always like, 'Suck it up! You'll be ok! This is part of life!'

[marymoo86]

Marymoo, you mean just a bath with epsom salt in it? Or since you are mentioning deficiency, do you mean eating it? Sorry if this is an absolutely inane question!.. Just not sure how one becomes less deficient if epsom salt is only in the bath?

Espom salt is just another way to help the deficiency - side benefit of being relaxing too :) Food sources are definitely preferred but you can also buy the ionic mineral to add to water/coffee/other preferred drink. You just want to avoid citrate form. Threonate is good for neuro issues like anxiety, glycinate for easing to sleep, malate in the morning. Key is to find options with no added items in it other than capsule ingredients.


You just have to be careful as the more magnesium you ingest you will need to make sure your adrenals are supported (vit c, potassium, sodium). You don't want an imbalance.

[Myira]

Wow, I would love to get a weighted blanket for myself. I'm not worried about getting too hot since my body has trouble keeping warm and DH keeps the thermostat so low especially in the night, DH and DS are hot bodies. I have a feeling DS would benefit from one too, he has always been a terrible sleeper.
I love having a pillow on my legs, and absolutely cannot sleep unless I am in a cozy cocoon.

For those of that own one, can you post links please? I'm seeing mixed reviews for products on amazon so I'm not sure which one to buy.

[zukeypur]

I was planning on getting one for DH for Christmas from Costco, but it is no longer on the website. I would love recommendations for one that I could get before Christmas!

[smiles33]

DH has bought 3 different weighted blankets (all off Amazon and at least one directly shipped from China!). At least one wasn't "balanced" well so the weight would clump in a corner. Another one had the wrong texture fabric (he likes them to be soft/plush and not slick/slippery). But it makes a huge different for him. He also bought them for our DDs, as they kept trying to steal his (which are WAY too heavy for smaller bodies). The 3 of them love the weighted blankets but I can't stand them. The one time I tried it, I felt like I was trapped/being smothered. I can't imagine trying to sleep with something so heavy on me but it works for some people.

[Myira]

DH has bought 3 different weighted blankets (all off Amazon and at least one directly shipped from China!). At least one wasn't "balanced" well so the weight would clump in a corner. Another one had the wrong texture fabric (he likes them to be soft/plush and not slick/slippery). But it makes a huge different for him. He also bought them for our DDs, as they kept trying to steal his (which are WAY too heavy for smaller bodies). The 3 of them love the weighted blankets but I can't stand them. The one time I tried it, I felt like I was trapped/being smothered. I can't imagine trying to sleep with something so heavy on me but it works for some people.

Yes, I can imagine it would not be for everyone. A lot of amazon reviews mention similar problems with the beads bunching and not being distributed evenly so I'm hesitant ordering.
I see wirecutter has some recommendations here https://thewirecutter.com/blog/weighted-blankets-for-adults/

[Myira]

I got the sensacalm wrirecutters first recommendation and slept with it yesterday.
I certainly feel very well rested today! I’ll see how it goes after a couple more nights!


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[MSWR0319]

I was planning on getting one for DH for Christmas from Costco, but it is no longer on the website. I would love recommendations for one that I could get before Christmas!

Costco ones were back on the website today. $20 off as well!

[Myira]

The Costco one is at a great price point, now I’m second guessing my purchase.


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[zukeypur]

Costco ones were back on the website today. $20 off as well!

I happened to check early this morning and snagged one!

[zukeypur]

FYI, this comes in a clearly marked box that says exactly what it is on the outside. :angry-smiley-005: