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Before I tried one, the simplicity of a weighted blanket -- literally, a blanket with weights in it -- seemed disproportionate to the miracle it promised to perform: natural calm, dissipated stress and anxiety, and deeper, more restful sleep.
But there's a bit more to it than just fabric and a heavy filler.
Weighted blankets work through deep pressure touch simulation therapy (or DPTS) -- a simple but effective aspect of our biology that we've been employing for years: swaddling babies, placing "thunder jackets" on dogs, and using weighted blankets for therapeutic treatment of sensory disorders, anxiety, depression, autism, insomnia, and more.
While light touches can alert the nervous system, deep pressure (such as a good massage or tight and heavy blanket) has a relaxing, calming effect on the body. More specifically for sleep, deep pressure from a weighted blanket is proven to increase melatonin production, helping you fall asleep and stay asleep.
Looking for an entry-level option that would let me see how I liked unwinding with extra heft, I settled on the YnM Weighted Blanket. It's a best seller, has thousands of 5-star reviews, and comes in 34 colors and many sizes and weights ranging from five to 50 pounds -- a greater breadth of options than we've typically found. The real draw is that YnM's version is relatively inexpensive, made from breathable cotton and weighted glass beads. Its channeling prevents the beads from dispersing unevenly, and comes in sizes large enough to span your bed as a normal blanket rather than only personal-sized.
The YnM blanket is thin and compact enough to be unobtrusive if you choose to keep it underneath a larger comforter. It has what the company calls a "unique seven-layer system" designed to comfortably surround your body and conform to your shape.
The cotton shell is filled with glass beads for even pressure. The beads are inside a baffle-box-constructed blanket, so the weight is evenly distributed and doesn't require frequent rearrangement.
I didn't know how much of an improvement there was to make in my sleep until I started using weighted blankets. I admittedly love comfort more than the average person, but I'd call them one of the few products that bring me closest to the high bar of genuine "joy" Marie Kondo famously uses as a selective litmus test for possessions you should keep or throw out. When used for relaxation, I feel cozy. At night, I fall asleep faster, sleep deeper, and feel more refreshed the next day. When I'm traveling, I miss it. I've recommended it to friends who suffer from insomnia and heard similarly enthusiastic feedback.
Kinsley Searles, a home and sleep reviews fellow, also tested the YnM weighted blanket and reported that it soothed her to sleep every night. She said that the pressure was noticeable but not uncomfortable, instead resulting in a swaddled feeling that she enjoyed.
The YnM blanket is notable for coming in sizes big enough to cover your entire bed or be shared as a couple. It's sold in a traditional throw size, but you'll also find larger blankets that can cover an entire king-size bed.
As a plus-size person, Searles finds it difficult to find a weighted blanket at the recommended 10% of her body weight, but YnM sells blankets as heavy as 50 pounds. There are also small versions as light as five pounds -- a perfect size for kids. She appreciates the wide range of weights, so everyone is comfortable using this blanket.
With a whopping 34 options, there's a huge color range, too. If none of the colors strike your fancy, we recommend inserting the blanket into a duvet cover. Conveniently, the king-size blanket comes with a matching duvet cover.
My only complaint with weighted blankets is that they can work too well. My sleep is deeper and more satisfying, but that can be accompanied by a groggier morning. Instead of feeling fully awake when my alarm goes off, getting adjusted to the day can be more difficult. Having said that, this is a con I'm fine living with for better sleep and more stable energy.
Searles found that the blanket slept hot, leading to overheating at night, so we wouldn't recommend it for hot sleepers. Also, while there are plenty of sizes, weights, and colors available, the stock of each fluctuates wildly.
All in all, YnM's weighted blanket is a great option; it's breathable, versatile, uniformly weighted, and comes on the less expensive end of the weighted blanket spectrum. It has markedly improved the quality of my sleep, and it's something that has made me genuinely excited to climb into bed after a long day. If you want better sleep or a new natural tool to combat anxiety or stress, I highly recommend you give it a shot.