Choose a weighted blanket first and foremost by its weight, about 10% of your body weight. Then choose a cover, as this determines how warm you feel. Also consider the filling and pocket design, as these affect the quality. And, of course, whether a blanket like this is right for you. Buying one for a children? You’ll find the rules in step 6. Ready to see what’s available? You can buy a weighted blanket here, in eleven weights and four sizes.
A weighted blanket applies even pressure across your whole body, as if someone were holding you. Your body feels heavier and you move around less. Many people find it calming. Learn more about how a weighted blanket works.
This buying guide takes you through the choice in seven steps:
The weight.
The size: single or double.
The cover and how warm you feel.
Can the cover be attached to the blanket?
Filling and pocket design.
Who should and shouldn’t use a weighted blanket, and the rules for children.
Getting used to it and trying it out.
Step 1: the weight, about 10% of your body weight
Choose a weighted blanket weighing about 10% of your body weight. If you weigh 70 kilos, 7 kilos is a good starting point. Choosing between 8 and 10 kilos? Go for 8, because a blanket that’s too heavy makes it difficult to turn over and can feel more confining than comforting.
Most adults who sleep alone choose 6, 7 or 8 kilos. Couples who sleep under one blanket together are more likely to choose 15 kilos than 12.
The table below shows the blanket weight for each body weight for a single blanket. You’ll find the table for children, the table for double blankets and exceptions to the 10% rule in our article about which weight is right for your body weight.
Weight and length chart for weighted blankets for use by one person
Choose the size of a weighted blanket based on how you sleep and what feels comfortable. If you sleep alone, 140x200 cm is usually the right choice. A double blanket measuring 240x220 cm can also work well on its own, for example if you want it to cover the whole bed. Just keep the weight in mind, as it is spread over a larger area and should match your body weight. That’s why the table in step 1 also shows the double size for each body weight. If you sleep together, you can choose a double weighted blanket measuring 240x220 cm in 12 or 15 kilos, or two separate single blankets, each suited to the individual’s weight. It depends on your preference and how much you differ in weight. Do you have an older blanket or cover? See old and new sizes to find out what fits together.
Step 3: the cover determines how warm you feel
A weighted blanket retains very little heat on its own. A regular duvet is filled with down or fibers that trap air, and that’s what keeps you warm. A weighted blanket is filled with glass beads, which barely insulate: the beads quickly reach your body temperature. So how warm you feel depends mainly on the cover you put around it and anything else you might put over it.
The question we get most often: won’t it get too warm? I’m a warm sleeper myself and thought I’d get too hot. But it’s fine, night after night. I sleep under a bamboo cover.
We sell our blankets without a cover so you can choose the material yourself. The cover is practical too: you can wash it as often as you like, while washing the blanket itself as little as possible. Heavier blankets also don’t fit in a regular washing machine.
Bamboo, cotton or minky: which cover is right for you?
Choose a bamboo cover if you tend to get warm or mainly use your weighted blanket in summer. A cotton cover is neutral and suitable all year round. Minky is soft and warm, for anyone who gets cold easily.
The minky winter cover is fleece-soft, has small bumps and retains warmth.
You can also get one blanket with two covers: bamboo for summer, minky or cotton for winter. If you’d rather not shop separately, order the blanket and cover as a set.
Sensitive to sensory input? Consider how the cover feels too
Everyone experiences touch differently. Occupational therapists distinguish between people who seek out textures and those who avoid them, and according to the National Autistic Society, fabrics and bedding are a sensitive issue for many autistic people. Our minky cover has small bumps. People who like to rub their fingers over something often find this soothing; it works a bit like a fidget under the blanket. If you’re sensitive to seams, labels and raised textures, choose a smooth bamboo or cotton cover instead. Bumps are a preference, not a treatment: there’s no research on blankets made with raised fabric. And you can change a cover more easily than a blanket.
Washing: the cover goes in the machine, the blanket rarely does
Wash the weighted blanket cover in the washing machine at a maximum of 40 degrees. Blankets weighing up to 7 kilos can be machine-washed on a gentle cycle at 40 degrees without spinning. Hand-wash heavier blankets. Never put a weighted blanket in the dryer. Lay it flat to dry. See our article on how to wash a weighted blanket for temperatures, cycles and drying instructions by weight.
Step 4: can the cover be attached to the blanket?
A weighted blanket should go inside a cover that you can attach to it. So when buying, look for loops on the blanket and ties or straps on the cover. Without those fasteners, a 7- or 8-kilo blanket will slide into one corner of the cover during the night, and the weight will no longer be on you.
A regular duvet cover doesn’t have those ties and isn’t designed for that weight. Our blankets have eight loops, and each cover has eight ties and a zipper on the side. Tie the ties to the loops, close the zipper, and the blanket stays where it belongs. So choose a blanket and cover that go together, or get them as a set.
Step 5: filling and pocket layout, what to look for in terms of quality
You can recognize a good weighted blanket by its fine glass bead filling, small quilted pockets that keep the weight in place, sturdy stitching, loops for the cover and the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification. The weight should also suit your body, at about 10% of your body weight.
Why the pockets? The filling in large pockets can slide down toward your feet when you turn over. Small pockets keep the beads where they belong. OEKO-TEX Standard 100, product class I, means the fabric, zipper and filling have been tested for harmful substances.
What’s inside a weighted blanket?
A weighted blanket contains small glass beads, also known as glass pearls or glass sand. They’re distributed across quilted pockets so the weight doesn’t shift to one side. Glass doesn’t absorb moisture and feels cool. Cheaper blankets often use plastic pellets. They’re larger and lighter, so you need more of them and the blanket becomes thicker.
Step 6: who should and shouldn’t use a weighted blanket
A weighted blanket is for anyone whose mind won’t switch off in the evening or who lies awake worrying for hours. It can also help if you’re a light sleeper or easily overstimulated. It is not suitable for babies or children under 3.
A weighted blanket won’t solve poor sleep on its own. However, many people find it helps them unwind more easily, both in bed and for an hour on the sofa. A 2020 Swedish study by Ekholm, involving 120 adults with insomnia and a psychiatric diagnosis who were randomly assigned to groups, found that those who slept under a heavy blanket for four weeks reported significantly fewer insomnia symptoms than those given a light blanket. However, it was just one study, involving a specific group. You’ll only know whether it works for you once you try it. That’s what the 100 days are for. You can read the Swedish study on insomnia in plain English on our website. In our research overview, we list all the studies.
Do you have sleep apnea, asthma or another respiratory condition, heart or blood pressure problems, epilepsy, low muscle tone, sensitive skin or open wounds, are you pregnant, or do you take medication that makes you drowsy? If so, discuss it with your doctor or healthcare provider first. If you have ADHD, autism or another condition that makes you easily overwhelmed, our article on whether a weighted blanket is right for your situation can help. Find an honest assessment in our article on the advantages and disadvantages of a weighted blanket.
Children: from 3 years old, around 10%, able to push it off themselves
For a children, there are three rules, and they’re there to protect your children: at least 3 years old, around 10% of their body weight, and your children must be able to push the blanket off themselves and let you know when they want it off. If your children weighs 30 kilos, that means a 3-kilo blanket. When in doubt, always choose the lighter one. Children’s blankets are available in 90x120 cm (2 kilos, for children weighing around 18 kilos or more) and 100x150 cm (3 and 5 kilos). From around 120 cm tall, a lightweight 140x200 blanket weighing 4, 5 or 6 kilos will fit. All the rules are in our safety guidelines. You can find our range of weighted blankets for children. Our article about a weighted blanket for your children explains which one to choose for each age.
Step 7: getting used to it, trying it out, and how to get started
It can take up to two weeks to get used to a weighted blanket, and the first few nights aren't necessarily better. That's normal: your body isn't used to having weight on it while you sleep. Give it time.
It took some getting used to for me, too: I didn't sleep better the first two nights and mostly felt that something heavy was lying on me. After a few nights, I slept more deeply.
Start on the couch. For the first few evenings, lay the blanket over yourself for an hour while you read or watch TV, so your body gets used to the weight before you spend a whole night under it. If the blanket still feels too heavy or suffocating after a week, you've probably chosen one that's too heavy. Suffocating means you mainly feel the weight on your chest and want to get out from under it, instead of sinking into it.
You have 100 days to try it with us. If you don't like the blanket, you'll get your money back. If you find the weight too heavy, you can exchange it for a lighter blanket within those 100 days. You pay for return shipping. Still unsure about the weight beforehand? The decision aid will calculate it for you.
The choice summarized
Choosing a weighted blanket comes down to a few questions: how much do you weigh, do you sleep alone or together, and do you tend to feel hot or cold?
Your situation
Then choose
You sleep alone under the blanket
140x200 cm, or 240x220 cm if you prefer; in either case, about 10% of your body weight
You sleep together under one blanket
240x220 cm, 12 kg (each 60 to 75 kg) or 15 kg (each 75 to 100 kg)
You sleep together, each with your own weight
Two single blankets, 140x200 cm each
You get hot easily
Bamboo cover
You get cold easily
Minky winter cover
The blanket is for a children aged 3 and up
Children's sizes: 90x120 or 100x150 cm; from about 120 cm tall, a lightweight 140x200 cm, at about 10% of body weight
If you sleep alone, choose 140x200 cm or 240x220 cm at about 10% of your body weight. If you sleep together under one blanket, choose 240x220 cm in 12 or 15 kg, or get a single blanket each. If you tend to sleep hot, choose bamboo; if you tend to feel cold, choose minky.
Your six-point checklist:
Weight: about 10% of your body weight; if in doubt, choose the lighter one.
Size: 140x200 or 240x220 cm, depending on how you sleep.
Fastening: loops on the blanket, ties on the cover.
Quality: glass beads, small pockets, and OEKO-TEX.
Time: up to two weeks to get used to it and 100 days to try it out.
You can browse all weights and sizes in our collection. Still unsure? Send me a message on WhatsApp; I’d be happy to help you decide.
Frequently asked questions about choosing a weighted blanket
Glass beads or plastic pellets: how can you tell what’s inside?
A weighted blanket filled with glass beads is thin and heavy, with small, finely filled pockets. A blanket filled with plastic pellets is thicker because it needs more pellets. All Novaline blankets are filled with glass beads.
Weighted blanket cover: cotton or bamboo?
Choose bamboo if you tend to get hot or mainly use the blanket in summer, as bamboo feels cool and is breathable. Choose cotton if you want a neutral cover for year-round use. If you tend to get cold, minky is the warm, soft winter cover. At Novaline, the bamboo cover is the most popular choice.
What makes a good weighted blanket?
A good weighted blanket has fine glass beads as filling, small quilted pockets that keep the weight in place, strong stitching, and loops for attaching a cover. OEKO-TEX Standard 100 shows that the fabric, zipper, and filling have been tested for harmful substances. The weight should also suit your body, at around 10% of your body weight.
Do I need a cover for a weighted blanket?
A cover isn’t required, but it is practical. You can wash the cover as often as you like, while washing the blanket itself as little as possible. Heavier blankets also don’t fit in a regular washing machine. The cover also lets you control how warm you feel: bamboo is cool, cotton is neutral, and minky is warm. Novaline sells blankets without covers, so you can choose the material yourself.
Can I try a weighted blanket first?
Yes. At Novaline, you can try the blanket for 100 days, and if you’re not happy with it, you’ll get your money back. It can take up to two weeks to get used to it, so you really do have that time. The first few nights aren’t always better. If you like, start by spending an hour under it on the sofa before trying it for a whole night.
Which weighted blanket should you choose if you sleep together?
If you want to share one blanket, choose the double size, 240x220 cm, in 12 kg (if you each weigh 60 to 75 kg) or 15 kg (if you each weigh 75 to 100 kg). If you’d rather have your own weight, or if you weigh very different amounts, two single blankets measuring 140x200 cm are a good choice: each of you gets the right weight, without being disturbed by the other’s tossing and turning.
Safety first: our bedding carries the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certification. This means that every component - from the fabric to the zipper and filling - has been tested for harmful substances and is 100% safe for your health.
Free from harmful chemicals
Strictly tested by independent institutes
Better for your skin and health
Did you know? Products used directly on the skin, such as bedding, must meet the strictest OEKO-TEX® requirements (product class I).
That way, you not only sleep better, but also more peacefully!
operta ponderata Novaline da 6kg: un vero abbraccio rilassante
operta ponderata Novaline da 6kg: un vero abbraccio rilassante. Il peso è distribuito perfettamente. Mi aiuta concretamente a dormire meglio e più in fretta. Consigliatissima!
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