What is a Weighted Blanket?

A weighted blanket (or gravity blanket) is exactly what it sounds like it is. It’s a blanket that is significantly heavier that a normal blanket duvet. An average queen duvet weighs 1.5 – 2.5kgs, while a weighted blanket’s weight range from 4 to 12kgs.

Most weighted blankets are designed in a similar style to duvets, coming in two separate pieces. The first piece being the actual weighted blanket and the second being the cover. This makes caring (specifically cleaning) for your weighted blanket a lot simpler.

All the weighted blankets at Wrapped Blankets come with a cover. You can choose between a 100% cotton cover if you are a warm sleeper or a minky cover if you usually get cold at night. Want to more about Wrapped Blankets' options? Check out our weighted blankets with 100% cotton covers and weighted blankets with minky covers.

Where does the weight come from?

Weighted blankets were originally invented in the late 1990s by a husband and wife team who hand stitched the weighted blankets and shared them with their friends, family and neighbours.

Modern weighted blankets are made with several layers, with the middle layer being the filling which adds the additional weight. The most common type of filling are plastic pellets and glass beads, some blankets even use rice or millet.


What are weighted blankets used for?

Originally weighted blankets were used exclusively by therapists and psychiatrists to support their patients who struggle with processing sensory input. Such as those with anxiety, depression, ADHD, behavioural disorders and autism.

While weighted blankets continue to be used to support those who struggle to process sensory input, they have also become more mainstream for their other benefits. Particularly those related to sleep quality.