Weighted Blanket - The Comfort of a Hug

Many of us, especially as we get older have trouble falling and staying asleep.  I'm no exception.  I tend to be a "restless" sleeper often waking up my husband tossing and turning and I usually steal the covers, even in warmer temperatures.

So I thought I would try out one of the ever-popular "weighted" blankets that are said to help with sleeping issues.  They have a number of benefits, but rather than type them out here I'll provide a link.

https://www.sensacalm.com/blogs/news/benefits-of-weighted-blanket-therapy

So I bought one.  I first purchased one from Mosaic who has one of the more popular blankets and a wide selection of fabrics.  They recommend getting one that's 10% of your body weight so I bought the 15-pound one.

It was really pretty, and the construction was tight, but I ended up giving it to a shelter because
(1)  15 pounds was just too much for me, I weigh what I do because I'm really tall, not because I'm large so I found it too heavy and too hot
(2).  The "beads" inside made WAY too much noise if I moved around.
(3)  The squares the housed the pockets were pretty big and not baffled so if I wanted to sleep on my side the pellets would all go to one end and not provide even weight distribution.

However, I WILL say, if you aren't a light sleeper that small sounds will wake you up and you start with a lighter weight you'll probably love this blanket - it was very pretty and very well made.

So I purchased another brand.

This was the Calming Comfort Blanket by the Sharper Image.  It was a LOT cheaper than the Mosaic blanket.  It was also a lot smaller. It worked for me but if you are over six feet tall, it will not cover your feet. On purchasing through Amazon I was also able to order a washable duvet cover for it since this brand requires hand washing.

I placed it on the bed in the small second bedroom in the back of the house (we turned the master bedroom into an office/den, with all the windows it was always warmer or cooler than the back bedroom, and being in the front of the house we had the traffic noise.)

So even though it was smaller than the Mosaic blanket it was enough to keep me snug overnight, even if my husband had to just deal with his old quilt (and yes those are Tardis pajama bottoms).

On the plus side, the material of the covering was SUPER soft and snuggly, almost velour-like, perfect for using it to lounge in front of the TV and the "beads" inside were considerably quieter than my first blanket. Night one, I fell asleep much faster and when I woke up my husband said I didn't toss and turn near as much. Night 2, I slept so sound I actually woke up an hour earlier than normal, totally rested. This one is a keeper.

The blankets run in the $100 - $200+ range, and may have to be hand washed, but if you suffer from sleep issues I'd certainly recommend one (though they say not to use one if you have sleep apnea or serious snoring as the compression on the chest is not good).

So go give yourself a hug!