These New Weighted Pillows Are the Next Big Thing in Heavy Comfort

A new collection of weighted pillows from Quiet Mind is here to provide all the soothing, comforting pressure you could ask for.

Around the mid-2010s, weighted blankets swept the country—maybe even the world—as we all woke up to the many benefits of Deep Pressure Stimulation (DPS), a gentle but firm squeezing or holding sensation that helps to relax the nervous system. Weighted blankets were wildly popular for the many cozy, soothing benefits they offered, and while they’re still used and loved today, a new tool with a similar philosophy is here: Meet the weighted pillow. Specifically, Quiet Mind’s Weighted Pillow.

With the launch of its first product, the Original Weighted Pillow (which is available in three sizes and two colorways), Quiet Mind seeks to offer an alternative to the weighted blanket, solving many of the pain points of this cozy essential without sacrificing any of its comforting benefits. (These weighted pillows also make excellent companions to weighted blankets, for those who love weighted blankets so much that they want more of the same gentle pressure.)

Related:The 10 Best Weighted Blankets of 2023, According to Testing

Many of us love our weighted blankets, but it’s easy to see how these heavy-by-nature throws aren’t for everyone. They can easily get hot, they’re cumbersome to move around, they can feel stifling, and they’re not travel-friendly. In contrast, Quiet Mind’s Weighted Pillows are compact and supremely portable, with a more targeted pressure—plus plenty of other features that make them fantastic in their own right.

Quiet Mind’s Pillows make use of deep pressure stimulation—again, the same science behind weighted blankets—to serve as tools to support a more calm, relaxed state of mind. They’re built to hide their weight, as founder Mikey Goldman describes it, with compact sizes that look like your average throw pillow but carry a surprising weight when picked up.

That balanced, steady distribution of weight is one of the genius elements of these pillows. The patent-pending construction features an outer shell of huggable, squeezable, compressive shredded memory foam, with a recycled glass bead center to hold the pillow’s shape without bunching up. Altogether, the experience is a little like squeezing an enormous stress ball, with the same give and return on each squeeze. Add the soft, textured sleeves, made to provide further sensory stimulation, and you’ve got an all-purpose self-soother.

Quiet Mind’s overall goal is to provide a mental wellness support tool. Goldman grew up with ADHD and created his company’s first product to provide people who are dealing with stress and anxiety, struggling to focus because of ADHD, or otherwise seeking a quieter mind with a tool that goes beyond what weighted blankets can offer. With the pressure of a Weighted Pillow—whether you’re holding it in your lap, hugging it, or curled around it—many people may find that it’s easier to relax, focus, or simply feel more at peace. Available in two mellow colors (Blueberry and Agave Green) and with sizes as light as six pounds and as heavy as 12, Quiet Mind’s Weighted Pillows offer an all-new level of comfort that pretty much anyone can benefit from.

Related:The Next Great Cozy Addition to Your Home Isn't a Weighted Blanket

We Tried the New Quiet Mind Weighted Pillows—Here’s What We Thought

Better Homes & Gardens had the opportunity to spend some quality time with Quiet Mind’s new weighted pillow offerings ahead of the launch, and everything the company says about offering a soothing, mind-quieting tool is true. As movable, dynamic options for more restfulness and less stress, the Quiet Mind Weighted Pillows are perfect.

But what makes them so great? Most importantly, they’re a just-right balance of firmness and plushness. Giving one a good squeeze is truly a bit of an arm workout, but the overall sensation is shockingly similar to hugging someone (or squeezing the biggest stress ball you could imagine), with the give and expansion you get when you give a loved one a hug. The pillows don’t look heavy or clunky but boast a sturdy, solid weight, and the (removable, washable) covers offer an additional level of soothing potential, with a surface that you can’t help but run your hands over.

Even the colors are perfect. Dubbed Blueberry and Agave Green, the blue and green shades are moody, soothing colors that, conveniently, will fit in with many different styles of home decor, too. Everything down to the packaging the pillows arrive in was designed with sensory soothing in mind. The packaging features a soft ombre palette of peaches, purples, and gentle greens for boxes that are so pretty, you won’t want to recycle them.

Should you ditch your weighted blanket(s)? Not quite—there’s a time and a place for everything, and if you love your weighted blanket, there’s no reason to toss it. But if you’re seeking additional plush comfort or you never jumped on the weighted blanket train in the first place, a weighted pillow from Quiet Mind might be just the thing you’ve been waiting for.

Sizes for these weighted pillows range from the six-pound Small to the 12-pound Large pillows, with prices starting at $179. The Quiet Mind Original Weighted Pillow is available for purchase through the Quiet Mind site starting May 17.

Related:This Soothing Wallpaper Line Was Designed to Be Hypersensitivity-Friendly

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