As I wind down from my day, dinner eaten and dishes put away it is time to relax. Often times this means an evening with my husband and children watching some of our favorite shows such as Ink Master, NCIS, or Criminal Minds. As we each find our favorite spot and get comfortable you will often find my son and I under a blanket. My husband will say, “How can you be cold?” To which we both reply, “I’m not cold.” We don’t cover up with a blanket because we are cold we cover up because it makes us comfortable.
For some reason we both have that same need to cover up when relaxing. Something about the feeling and warmth of the blanket surrounding us just makes us feel comfortable. I’ve heard of weighted blankets so when I was asked if I would like to review one from Weighting Comforts I thought it was a perfect opportunity to give one a try. This might explain why my son and I feel so comfortable when covered up…
Benefits of a Weighted Blanket
Weighted blankets benefit users just like a deep tissue massage. This pressure aids in releasing serotonin in the body. Serotonin is a hormone in our bodies that gives us a sense of well-being. Some of that serotonin becomes melatonin which helps us relax and go to sleep. Simply put, weighted blankets are calming, cozy and comforting.
There are many blankets to choose from, and we went with the best seller which is the Charcoal Weighted Blanket
Benefits of the Charcoal Weighted Blanket
- Reduces anxiety
- Feels like you’re being hugged or held gently
- Helps you relax
- Improves your sleep
I use the blanket often when I’m relaxing in front of the TV or playing on my iPad. I do love that it is weighted because it hugs my body and just gives me that warm comfortable feeling.
How Do I Know What Blanket to Buy?
The rule of thumb when trying to decide what blanket to purchase is to take your body weight and multiply it by 10%. Based on this calculation a 20 lb blanket would have been my ideal blanket however I believe we received the 15 lb as that is the most common blanket size. I can honestly say the 15 lb is just fine. I don’t know if I would want the blanket any heavier. You can definitely feel the weight of the blanket when you pick it up. However despite the weight once it is on you, you don’t feel weighted down just comfortable.
This weighted blanket is designed to improve your sleep and reduce your anxiety for year-round comfort. Many people experience a deeper and more restful sleep on the first night. I believe this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to benefits of a weighted blanket. I have read many reviews where people with sleep issues, anxiety issues, or young children that are restless or have other types of disorder benefit greatly from the use of a weighted blanket. I can see how it can have a calming effect.
I finally put the blanket on my bed this week. I will be honest I was afraid that I was going to feel, well for lack of better words, weighted down. I do tend to move when I sleep and I sleep with a body pill so I’m often moving my pillow with me. I also thought the weight might make me too hot. It turns out I had nothing to fear I actually LOVE the feeling of the blanket. I don’t feel hot at all and I didn’t feel weighted down. I woke up feeling very comfortable. I LOVE the blanket and the only thing I would like better is a larger size, the one that we are reviewing is a twin. I highly recommend the weighted blanket from Weighting Comforts if you love to be cuddled and covered when you are relaxing or sleeping.
