The 8 Best Weighted Blankets for Runners

Who couldn’t use a better night’s sleep or a way to reduce their worries that’s healthy, natural, and affordable? Weighted blankets just might be the answer. Although they’re getting lots of attention right now, these certainly aren’t new. Weighted blankets have long been popular in the autism community as a form of “deep pressure” therapy to help induce sleep and calm the nervous system. Recently, they’ve gained mass-market appeal as general relaxation aids as more of us look for ways to unwind from daily stresses and world events. People love them—myself included. Settling in under a weighted blanket after a 20-mile run feels like getting a congratulatory, full-body hug. But the question of whether weighted blankets actually have a therapeutic function is still open-ended. Good news: There’s promising evidence to suggest they do. Let’s dive into the research.

Do Weighted Blankets Work?

An overview of the limited research available on weighted blankets is fairly decisive about their utility. One study of adults in an in-patient mental health hospital showed weighted blankets caused a full 60 percent drop in anxiety—and thus they were declared a “safe and potentially effective way to help individuals in a psychiatric facility manage anxiety.” While that study’s application might seem narrow, another study of 32 adults in a more general population found that after using weighted blankets, 63 percent reported less anxiety after use, and 78 percent found the weighted blanket to be an effective calming therapy. The benefits of weighted blankets are more mixed when it comes to insomnia. According to the overview of findings, there’s not enough evidence to suggest they’re helpful in that regard, though this study suggests weighted blankets can have positive effects on insomnia sufferers.

So how do they work? According to the American Sleep Association, weighted blankets function “by providing deep touch pressure evenly distributed to touch receptors throughout the body.” When this pressure is evenly applied, the body “switches from its ‘fight or flight’ response of the sympathetic nervous system to its ‘rest and digest’ response of the parasympathetic nervous system.” Deep touch pressure can also induce serotonin, a feel-good chemical, which helps produce melatonin to better regulate our sleep cycles. The hugging effect of the blanket’s weight can cause our bodies to release oxytocin, which decreases blood pressure and lowers our heart rate to help us better relax. Many weighted-blanket users describe the blankets as providing a calming sense of security—similar to the feeling a newborn has when being swaddled.

What to Consider

Most weighted blanket manufacturers recommend you get a blanket that’s around 10 percent of your body weight. Below is a guide to suggested blanket weights. Blankets are not recommended for kids under age 2, and young children should stick to blankets in the 3- to 5-pound range.

Other important features to consider are the size of the blanket, the material it’s made of, and its washability. Since weighted blankets are generally intended for one person, they’re often sized as a throw, around 48 x 72 inches, for use on the couch. If you’re buying one to fit your bed, note that it’s designed for mattress dimensions so it won’t hang over the edges. A twin size will be about 48 x 78 inches; a full, 56 x 72; a queen, 60 x 80; and a king, 90 x 90. As for washability, most weighted blankets come in two forms: a one-layer system that you can machine-wash in one piece (but sparingly), and a two-layer system with an inner weighted layer and a removable outer duvet cover that you can machine-wash and machine-dry. Which material you choose is personal preference. Many folks find polyester too warm and opt for cotton for its mix of coolness and breathability. Polyester and other synthetics tend to trap moisture and retain more heat.

How We Chose

I’m a huge fan of doing nothing for the rest of the day after a marathon-training run—except for lounging and making myself as comfortable as possible. To compile this list of top weighted blankets, I used my own test experience, as well as recommendations from other runners who are similarly devoted to that rest-day and post-run hygge life. For the sake of thoroughness, I also sought out recommendations online and scoured consumer reviews for top options. Ultimately, I based my selections on a mix of comfort, pressure, quality, durability, value, and ease of washing. Here are the eight best weighted blankets I found.