Best Heated Weighted Blanket Options for Seniors

Elderly Couple under a blanket.

The demand for weighted blankets for adults has been on the rise. Weighted blankets are popular for their role in helping people sleep. For this reason, they have been a savior for people with anxiety, stress, ADHD, insomnia, and other sleep disorders. Apart from sleep disorders, weighted blankets help relieve your pain and lift your mood.

If you or someone you know is dealing with anxiety, other sleep disorders, or mere stress, weighted blankets are the most recommended and preferred solution to these issues. Although you may have heard of some disadvantages around their use, such as suffocation, claustrophobia, and sleep apnea, the benefits outweigh these and make them the perfect solution to all sleep problems.

Weighted blankets have become a popular choice for the elderly population suffering from the above-mentioned health issues. Hence, the demand for heated weighted blankets has increased significantly. Due to the high demand, the market for these weighted blankets has expanded. Many sellers sell these blankets, so customers usually find it hard to choose the best service provider. However, if you are going through a similar situation, you have landed at the right place. This guide discusses the best heated weighted blanket options for seniors and how you or your loved one can benefit from them.

What Are Weighted Blankets?

Weighted blankets are heavy blankets having microbeads, plastic pellets, pebbles, and grain fillings that add to their weight and offer a calming and soothing effect on the person using them. A weighted blanket comprises three layers; the blanket, it's filling, and the cover. The blanket can be made from polyester, silk, or any fabric, along with a cushioning layer on the inside.

With most people going through sleep problems, these heavy-weight blankets serve as a comforter and ensure that they are not having difficulty sleeping. In addition, these blankets are known to have a calming effect on your nervous system and emulate deep pressure stimulation that applies pressure to your body and thus gives out a feeling of hugging.  

These blankets' hugging and calming effect enable a person to relax and relieve stress. Moreover, the pressure applied by these blankets also helps relieve your pain.

Hands clutching a blanket.

How Effective and Safe are These Blankets?

Also known as a gravity blanket, this blanket has effectively provided comfort to many of its users and treated insomnia, ADHD, anxiety, and autism. However, a few people did find it uncomfortable and too warm for their needs. To counter this issue, weighted blankets are now available in several weights. You can thus select the weight option that best suits your body weight.  

Although these blankets are highly effective for most conditions and users, they must be kept away from toddlers who may risk suffocation. Apart from these, adults with specific disabilities and health problems such as respiratory conditions, obstructive sleep apnea, and asthma should also avoid this heavy blanket.  

Furthermore, another safety issue arises if a person is unable to pull off the blanket. These weighted blankets may be riskier for adults or children who may have difficulty taking off this blanket when needed.

What are the Best Heated Weighted Blankets?

Since finding the best gravity blanket is a challenging and time-consuming task, here are some of the most effective and demanded heated blankets you may be interested in buying.

Quality Weighted Blanket for Adults

This quality weighted blanket by Quility comes with a 100% Cotton Blanket and 100% Polyester Duvet Cover. The colors available include Navy Cover with Grey Cotton Blanket, Aqua Cover with Grey Cotton Blanket, Dark Grey and White Pattern, Grey Cover with Grey Cotton Blanket, Pink Cover with Grey Cotton Blanket, and White Cover with Light Grey Cotton Blanket. These weighted blankets are highly durable and of premium quality. 

The 15lb weight can provide temperature control and relaxation for a good night's sleep. The product dimensions are 60"L x 80"W, and the blanket has premium micro glass beads that distribute pressure evenly, ensuring that the blanket provides tranquility and comfort. This thick blanket can be helpful for seniors who deal with insomnia or sleep disorders. It will help with restlessness and will feel extremely easy on the skin. There are various size options, and it is recommended that you select a weight around 10-14% of your body weight. 

Electric Blanket Heated Throw Flannel & Sherpa Reversible
$43.99

by Zircon

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02/18/2024 12:08 pm GMT

Electric Blanket Heated Throw Flannel & Sherpa Reversible With Foot Pocket 

Zircon's Electric Blanket Heated Throw Flannel provides therapeutic heat relief and an auto shut-off option. It comes in brown color, having dimensions of 60 x 2 x 50 inches. The product material is Flannel which is smooth on the skin and extremely comfortable and relaxing. It comes with a dedicated foot pocket that will help your feet stay warm and comfortable. The steady heat provided by this electric blanket will help open up sore muscles and provide relaxation to your joints. The banket is ideal for older adults looking for some comfort and relaxation. Additionally, this blanket is built to last, so if you're already tired of buying a heated blanket that doesn't work after some time, this blanket is the ultimate choice. This blanket also lowers your electricity bill. 

Adult Weighted Blanket Queen Size 20 lbs
$19.99

by Ourea 

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02/18/2024 12:04 pm GMT

Ourea Adult Weighted Blanket

The Ourea Adult Weighted Blanket can be used alone or with a duvet cover. It's perfect for older adults. The blanket has the dimensions of 80"L x 60"W and comes in colors including dark grey, purple, light grey, and grey. This blanket can provide you with a comfortable and simple way to sleep and relax fast. It leads to quality sleep and feels like an additional sense of security while you sleep. This blanket has a unique 7-layer design that makes it more breathable and safe to use.

It consists of 5×5 small compartments with precise stitching (2.5-2.9mm one stitch) that doesn't let beads from shifting from a specific compartment to another. It also consists of high-standard premium microfiber, making the blanket extremely soft. The blanket is available in various sizes, but it is recommended that you choose the size which is 8% to 10% of your body weight. For two people, 60×80 size is recommended. It is also recommended that you get a matched duvet cover with this blanket, as washing this heavy blanket in a machine might damage it.

Adult Weighted Blanket 15lbs
$45.99

by ZonLi 

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02/18/2024 12:01 pm GMT

ZonLi Weighted Blanket 

The ZonLi 15lb weighted blanket is perfect for restless sleepers and older adults who suffer from sleep disorders. It provides a natural way to assist in calming your body for a night of quality sleep. This extremely breathable blanket does wonders for adults with the high-density sewing technology. The two-layer microfiber prevents the leakage of beads and loosening of threads, making it strong and long-lasting. This high-quality weighted blanket has a 7-layer unique design which makes the temperature perfect for the adults using it. In addition, it can be adapted to use year-round. 

Additionally, this weighted blanket consists of 5×5 small compartments with precision stitching (2.5-2.9mm per stitch). This design helps prevent the transferring of beads from one compartment to another. This helps even weight distribution, making the blanket comfortable and relaxing. It is recommended that the blanket size be selected considering 6%-10% of your body weight. It is also important that you use this blanket will a duvet cover as machine washing this heavy blanket might damage the machine. 

Dual Control Electric Blanket Queen Size w/ Auto Shut Off

by Degrees of Comfort 

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Degrees Of Comfort [Advanced] Dual Control Electric Blanket

This Electrical Blanket by Degrees of Comfort is available for different bed sizes such as queen, twin, full, king, and twin XL. The colors included are red, beige, blue, chocolate, grey, and ivory. This is a UL Certified heated blanket designed to emit the lowest EMF emission possible while serving its purpose at the same time. It has a heat setting that can be adjustable with 20 different heating levels. 

The dual-controller is available for king, California king, and queen bed sizes. With the 12.5ft long power cord, adults can easily connect this blanket with the outlet without finding it difficult at night. You can easily put this blanket in the washer. Use lukewarm or cold water and keep it on a slow agitation cycle. It is advised that bleach or other fluids are not used while washing this blanket. In addition to this, the blanket comes will a 5-year warranty and a protection plan. 

Cooling Weighted Blanket Queen Size
$54.99

by Weighted Idea 

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02/18/2024 11:46 am GMT

Weighted Idea Cooling Blanket

This cooling blanket by Weighted idea is available in different colors, including light grey, dark grey, baby blue, white, and a dinosaur print. It's an excellent companion for adults who deal with sleep disorders or have restless sleep. The blanket is soft and comfortable and will help you get a relaxing sleep. The blanket is also designed from non-toxic glass beads, precision stitching, and cozy fabric to ensure softness and minimize leakage of glass beads. 

The superior breathability of this blanket makes It ideal for use year-round. This cooling blanket is versatile and comfortable and also a wonderful gift for seniors dealing with pain and sleep disorders. The blanket is available in different sizes, styles, and colors to meet the different needs of people of different ages. It is recommended that you choose a size that is 7% to 12% of your body weight. Choose a lighter weight if you're using a weighted blanket for the first time. 

Cooling Weighted Blanket Queen Size Bed
$79.99

by Degrees of Comfort 

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02/18/2024 11:41 am GMT

Degrees Of Comfort Cooling Weighted Blanket

The degrees of comfort cooling weighted blanket come with 2 duvet covers, including a pre-assembled minky plush COZYHEAT cover suitable for cold seasons and an additional Coolmax regular cover for warmer weather. For easy cleaning, both come with zipper enclosures. The Degrees of Comfort Cooling Weighted Blanket comes in various sizes and colors. Colors include grey, navy, and tan. The fabric type is Coolmax, plush. 

The blanket is highly durable and extremely soft, perfect for seniors and adults. With the help of smaller pockets filled with premium glass beads, the blanket has an even distribution of weight. This means that there is less bunching and maximum relaxation. The blanket will contour to any body size, type, and sleep position. It is advised that you should go for a blanket size that is 10% of your entire body weight. Additionally, the 7-layer unique design will lead to long-lasting comfort and durability. 

Pros and Cons of a Weighted Blanket

A gravity-weighted blanket has many known benefits for sleep. However, there are certain disadvantages that one should look out for.

Pros 

Quality Sleep

One of the key benefits of a weighted blanket is that it offers quality sleep and thus improves your well-being. These blankets function by exerting deep pressure on your body, prompting the deep touch pressure principle. The feeling of relaxation and calmness of mind caused by a heated blanket enables you to drift off to sleep immediately and helps you sleep for a longer time. 

Additionally, these blankets offer a sense of security to children and adults, providing a feeling of attachment and being held. Since our sleep quality reduces as we get older, these blankets are more beneficial for adults who find it hard to get enough sleep. However, you should ensure the blankets are of a weight that suits the adult. As per the medical practitioners, the weight of the blanket should be 10% of your body weight.

Elderly couply sleeping.

Reduction in Cortisol

These weighted blankets have also been known to reduce the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol is the hormone that works for our survival and has survival instincts of fight or flight. Reducing this hormone means increased calmness and relieving stress. Cortisol is an extremely crucial hormone; however, too much production of this hormone can be harmful to your body and health. Hence, weighted blankets are an excellent way of protecting against such harm.

Helping with Autism

A weighted blanket serves as a sleep medicine for many disorders such as Autism and ADHD. Doctors have recommended these blankets to several people with autism, and they have seen to benefit from them. These 15-30 pound weighted blankets provide an atmosphere of calmness and increase a person's sleep time.

Reduced Anxiety and Depression

A large number of the population in every country is affected by anxiety annually. Although taken lightly, anxiety has a significant impact on mental health as well as your physical body, such as your digestion and weight loss. The blankets reduce the symptoms associated with anxiety, such as a fast heartbeat and rapid breathing. Since anxiety and stress are interlinked, weighted blankets have proved to be successful in decreasing these mental health disorders to some extent and relieving depression. They ease depression by releasing hormones such as melatonin and dopamine that lift your mood. 

Cons

Expensive

Due to the heavyweight and numerous benefits, weighted blankets are more costly than the other regular blankets. These blankets are a type of medical treatment, so they are separately classified from the typical ones. Producing the best-weighted blanket takes a longer production time and requires more labor and extra packaging. Moreover, filling the raw materials such as beads, pebbles, plastic pellets, and organic cotton is also an expensive task. 

Time Consuming

It may be time-consuming to get used to using these heavy weighted blankets. Having hefty pounds of weight on your body may feel frustrating and unbearable, especially in summer. However, once you learn and understand their benefits, you may be ready to compromise a bit.

Final Thoughts

Aging comes with various health concerns. As people get old, their sleep times reduce, and they deal with insomnia and other sleep disorders. As per research, the sleep of the elderly reduces, which may often leave them feeling tired during the day. Luckily, weighted blankets might be able to help seniors get the sleep they need to feel better, refreshed, and less tired during the day. If you have a loved one who is elderly, you might have heard that they simply need less sleep as they age. 

However, this might be incorrect. An elderly need around eight to nine hours of sleep on average each night to stay well-rested and healthy. Unfortunately, many elderly don't get the sleep they should get to live a healthy life. Many people above the age of 65 deal with insomnia and other sleep disorders as compared to people who are young. Weighted blankets have become a popular choice for dealing with insomnia related to stress, as well as to address sleep-related health issues in seniors, such as restless leg syndrome.

Weighted blankets for seniors come with various benefits. A weighted blanket would calm the nervous system and help seniors transition through the sleep stages instead of waking up at night frequently. The deep touch pressure in a weighted blanket works to provide comfort and relax muscles, leading to a night of good quality sleep. Seniors often find that these weighted blankets provide so much relaxation that they are able to sleep more peacefully and deeply at night. Everything adds up to having more energy during the day and restful sleep at night. Hence, a weighted blanket is a valuable addition at home, especially for the elderly. 

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