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I have been involved with weighted blankets for quite a long time. The most frequent question I am asked is, “How heavy should a weighted blanket be?” I tried to answer each question one by one – but the answer was always the same.
There is a simple formula. This article breaks it down for you.
How Heavy Should A Weighted Blanket Be
Simple formula:
There is a very simple formula to determine the perfect weight of a weighted blanket. It is directly related to the weight of the person who will be using the weighted blanket.
For kids: 10% of his/her body weight plus 1-2 lbs
For adults: 10% of his/her body weight.
Weighted blanket size chart:
To make things simpler for you…here is a simple chart based on the formula above.
| Body Weight | Lbs (min-max) | Size |
| 30 lbs | 3-5 | Small |
| 40 lbs | 4-6 | Small |
| 50 lbs | 4-7 | Small |
| 60 lbs | 5-8 | Small |
| 70 lbs | 5-9 | Small |
| 80 lbs | 6-10 | Medium |
| 90 lbs | 7-10 | Medium |
| 100 lbs | 8-12 | Medium |
| 110 lbs | 8-13 | Medium |
| 120 lbs | 10-15 | Medium |
| 130 lbs-150 lbs | 10-16 | Large |
| 160 lbs-200 lbs | 10-18 | Large |
| 210 lbs-220 lbs | 12-20 | Extra Large |
| 230 lbs | 12-21 | Extra Large |
| 240 lbs-270 lbs | 12-22 | Extra Large |
| 280+ lbs | 14-24 | Extra Large |
Top selling weighted blankets
We analyze data each month to keep track of the blankets that consumers are buying most. Each of these is available in various sizes and weights. If you are ready to give a weighted blanket a try, these are the top sellers:
Rocabi Luxury Weighted Blanket – Rocabi comes first. It is included mainly for its two covers. It comes with a removable cover but the cover attached to the blanket itself is soft and comfortable. This means that you can use the blanket with or without the extra cover. This gives the consumers great interchangeable choices.
Ynm Weighted Blanket – You may already know Ynm blankets, known for its low price and various weight options.
Calmforter Premium Weighted Blanket – This was the best weighted blanket of this review prior to the Rocabi weighted blanket taking the top spot. This blanket is known for comfort. The cover provided aids a great deal to your sleep. You will sleep better.
(See our 2019 weighted blanket buyer’s guide for more details.)
Does the formula above hold proper legitimacy?
Before jumping right onto the breakdown of the formula of getting the ‘right-sized weighted blanket’, let’s hear out a word or two about the legitimacy of ‘weighted blankets’ itself.
The concept of weighted blankets
The main concept of a weighted blanket is plain and simple. A hug. Weighted blankets originated from the science behind the secure feeling of getting a firm hug from a person you love.
Why do we feel happy and secure after a strong hug? It’s all about pressure. Whenever your buddy hugs you, or your mom or soulmate, whoever, the hug comes with a gentle pressure and you feel invulnerable. You feel that nobody can harm you now while you are closest to the person you love.
The human mind likes to overlay feelings according to previous experience. Imagine a person who is afraid of heights. If she took a ride on an airplane and felt traumatized by the experience – it is possible that she might face the same trauma again just by hearing the sound of an airplane passing by far up above. So, why did that happen? It’s because the brain here, has gotten accustomed to the sound negatively and whenever it hears the sound, it just brings up that horrendous experience and suffers.
Weighted blankets use this dynamic in your favor. You feel pressure upon you physically, similar to the comforting hug and voila! Your brain has found the comfort you cherish. This is the main reason why weighted blankets are so helpful in treating anxiety or depression.
More on the formula
Now, let’s break down the formula. Ants can carry weight 5000 times their body weight. Well, we aren’t ants, and while using a weighted blanket – carrying weight is not our main goal. Comfort is the main thing we seek while using a weighted blanket and being said all that, 10% of one’s body weight is the optimal weight that brings comfort. This proportion is found to be the perfect weight for most of the people.
However it is all about your comfort. Feel free to add or remove a pound or two if that feels right to you.
For kids, it is suggested to put on an extra one or two lbs by default. Therapists may recommend for weighted blankets for many reasons – anxiety, autism etc. But usually we people try weighted blankets for a much better sleep, most of the time we buy weighted blankets for our kids to serve the same purpose too. Remember how your mom tried to lull your younger brother or sister, or if you are a mom yourself, you know well how to put your precious child to sleep. Ever wonder why a pillow is put on to the kid or why we need to roam our hand over our beloved child and hit him gently to lull him/her?
It’s because extra weight helps children to sleep. They require more weight according to their total body weight comparing adults.
That is why kids need an extra one or two lbs in their weighted blanket.
Since the talking about disorders is brought up, various type of sensory disorders exist. And whether we like it or not, people around us – maybe one that you are fond of, or maybe you might be a victim of these disorders. There are various treatments available for this occurrence. A weighted blanket is the most used and suggested preliminary treatment. You should obviously try a weighted blanket.
And for a sound, sweet sleep? Nothing can beat a weighted blanket. All you have to do now is just to try one out.
I’m assuming this chart is for a single person blanket? If I want to get the double bed sized blanket would I get one with roughly 50% more weight since the width is about 50% more than a single?
Actually if you are considering a blanket that would cover two people in a larger bed, you would want to use the weight of the smaller person. This way you avoid any risk to the smaller person in the bed. I hope this helps!