Can you use a weighted blanket on top of a duvet when sleeping at night? Is there a benefit to sleeping with a blanket and a duvet?
There are some misconceptions about using weighted blankets over duvets, so let’s take a close look and answer some of the most commonly asked questions that will include:
- Who benefits from a weighted blanket?
- Does a weighted blanket help with anxiety and depression?
- Do you need a duvet with a weighted blanket?
- Table to help you select the correct weighted blanket for you
Settle back, and let’s begin.
What is the best way to sleep with a weighted blanket?
Sleep on your back if possible. Weighted blankets are used for a purpose, which is often to make you feel more secure when in bed.
Weighted blankets are fantastic in many ways, but they are not for everyone as the weight can become oppressive and sometimes claustrophobic.
If you can sleep on your back, you will get even pressure across your body. For side sleepers, the weighted blanket can lose some effects as the surface area is reduced to just the side of the body.
Who gets the most benefits from a weighted blanket?
Lots of sleepers, but it does have specific uses. If you lead an uncontrolled stressful life, you may need a weighted blanket to help you become calm when you go to bed.
Weighted blankets can help soothe the central nervous system and have defined therapeutic benefits for illnesses and syndromes.
If your child has attention deficit disorder (ADHD) or is hyperactive, then a weighted blanket may help with sleep issues.
Weighted blankets; anxiety and depression
Weighted blankets can help with anxiety and insomnia! Anxiety and depression, when out of control, are a vicious circle of lack of sleep which increases the levels of depression.
So many people with this condition are just given medications that subdue the nervous system, and often the medications are addictive to some degree.
A weighted blanket may help manage feelings of stress and anxiety. Since stress and anxiety often interfere with sleep, the benefits of a weighted blanket may translate to better sleep for those suffering from stressful thoughts.
However, weighted blankets offer a real alternative to reduce anxiety, depression, autism, bip[olar disorder and ADHD symptoms.
Is using a weighted blanket considered safe?
Many people find that adding a weighted blanket to their sleep routine helps to reduce stress and promote calm. In the same way as a hug or a baby’s swaddle, the gentle pressure of a weighted blanket may help ease symptoms and improve sleep for people with insomnia, anxiety, or autism.
Weighted blankets are fine for people who can use their strength and physicality to remove the blanket if they become too hot or even are in danger of suffocation.
Weighted blankets are specifically designed for children with sleep disorders and other issues. However, younger children such as toddlers should not sleep under a weighted blanket or play with the blanket due to the risk of entrapment and suffocation.
What are weighted blankets?
Blankets are designed to be heavier than normal blankets. Weighted blankets have two styles: they are either quilted or knitted.
The duvet-type blanket with quilted sections is filled with glass beads, plastics, or ball bearings to precisely give the desired weight.
Knitted blankets use heavy, dense yarn to achieve the weight needed for the patient.
Weighted blankets are not just for the bed. If you like to chill out on the sofa, you can use them there and use them anywhere you feel comfortable relaxing.
Do you need a duvet with a weighted blanket?
Not for warmth. You might imagine a weighted blanket or quilt could be quite warm, and using a duvet underneath is kind of redundant and may introduce the possibility of overheating.
Some people do prefer to use a duvet under a weighted blanket for extra comfort, particularly if you are not familiar with sleeping under dense wool blankets.
If you use a duvet under a weighted blanket, select a duvet with a lower tog, so you do not overheat when sleeping.
Can you put a weighted blanket in the duvet cover?
Yes, depending on the sizes. If your duvet cover is a close match to a weighted blanket, then yes, you can place the weighted blanket inside the cover.
How long does it take to get used to a weighted blanket?
About 4 weeks. When you first get a weighted blanket, you may feel stifled and claustrophobic, so you will need to get used to the additional weight in increments.
Cover your legs and then slowly, inch by inch, pull the weighted blanket further up your body. Getting used to a new habit takes a few weeks typically.
You will soon get used to the additional weight and then feel the benefits of a weighted blanket.
Are weighted blankets warmer than other blankets?
Yes, Weighted blankets are heavier than normal blankets and are made of dense material to give the weight needed.
You may find them a little scratchy if you are used to a soft duvet cover so consider placing the blanket inside the duvet cover.
How do you know which weighted blanket to choose?
You country a blanket that is approximately 10% of your body weight. It’s a simple formula: if you weigh 75 kilos, select a blanket that is 7.5 kilos, which is 10% of your body weight.
However, you can choose a weighted blanket that you feel will give the best results and help you sleep better.
Weighted blankets start at 3 kilos and ending at around 12.5 kilos, so there is a wide range to choose from.
Below is a table to help you select the correct weight for your weighted blanket.
Blanket | Individual weight | Sleeping partners with combined weight |
Twin 15 lbs | 100-170 lbs | – |
Twin 20 lbs | 170 lbs + | – |
Queen 20 lbs | 100-170 lbs | 220 -250 lbs |
Queen 25 lbs | 170-125 lbs | 250-300 lbs |
Queen 30 lbs | 225 lbs + | 300lbs + |
King 30 lbs | 100-180 lbs | <300 lbs |
King 35lbs | 180 lbs + | 300 lbs + |