Do Weighted Blankets Make You Hot?
The answer is yes, no, and maybe. It all depends on the person using them.
Weighted blankets are excellent for many fantastic and healthy reasons. For starters, they help reduce anxiety and restless leg syndrome substantially. They also help fight stress and improve fibromyalgia symptoms, and they can greatly improve your sleep if you suffer from insomnia. One question that many consumers have when searching for a weighted blanket, however, is simply this; do weighted blankets make you hot?
The answer to that question, frankly, isn't as simple as 'yes' or 'no'. Whether or not weighted blankets can make you hot depends on several noteworthy factors, including the season, the time of year, and the weighted blanket itself. In this article, we'll take a closer look at what these factors are. exactly, and how you can use them to make an educated and satisfying purchase decision.
Are Weighted Blankets Hot?
Technically, no, weighted blankets themselves are not hot. However, depending on the type of person you are, and your metabolism, using a weighted blanket could make you hot. That's especially true if the room where you're using the weighted blanket is already warm or hot.
The reason why is simple; to create that soothing weight, heavy materials are used in the construction of weighted blankets. They're also filled with glass or plastic pellets (and sometimes other materials), which adds to their already increased weight.
If you're the type of person who overheats easily, a weighted blanket might make you too hot when you use it fo those exact reasons. On the other hand, if you're not the type to overheat easily, you'll probably be quite comfortable when using a weighted blanket.
What Materials Are Best To Make Sure Your Weighted Blanket Won't Make You Too Hot?
Weighted blankets are made with a wide variety of different materials, some of which can be hotter than others. For example, weighted blankets made with a flannel, polyester, plush, or fleece exterior. Since those fabrics don't breathe well, they can trap your body heat under the weighted blanket and cause you to overheat. (Especially during the hotter seasons of the year.)
A much better choice would be a weighted blanket made with a 100% cotton cover as well as a weighted interior that is also cotton (rather than glass or plastic pellets). That's because cotton is washable, durable, and, most importantly, breathable. Bamboo is also a fantastic choice for a weighted blanket as it's also breathable and has antibacterial properties also. (Bamboo is a good choice if, for example, you sweat a lot.)
What Type Of Construction Will Make a Weighted Blanket Less Hot?
As we mentioned earlier, the materials used to make your weighted blanket can also influence whether it will make you hotter or keep you cooler. For example, some weighted blankets are made with layers of cotton on the inside. Not only does this create extra weight but it also keeps them breathable.
Some manufacturers use amazing nano-ceramic beads in their weighted blankets, which cuts down significantly on heat buildup. Others use very high-quality plastic pallets that do the same thing, keeping you much cooler. If you combine a cotton or bamboo cover with one of these fillings, your weighted blanket well no doubt be much less hot when using it.
Purchase a Cooling Weighted Blanket
If you're truly worried about getting too hot when using a weighted blanket, several manufacturers make so-called 'cooling' weighted blankets. These manufacturers say that their products help keep you cooler (and, if you're the type who sweats a lot, keep you drier too).
Cooling weighted blankets use many of the same materials and fillings we've already talked about, like cotton and bamboo covers and nano-ceramic filling. Many come with cotton duvet covers included, making it even easier to stay cool (and keep your weighted blanket clean).
4 Hot Tips to Stay Cool Using a Heated Blanket
Choosing a weighted blanket that incorporates the materials we talked about above is the first thing to do if you're worried about getting too hot with a weighted blanket. However, some people will still get hot simply because a weighted blanket, by its very nature, is heavier than a summer blanket or regular sheets. For those people, we offer 4 hot tips to stay cooler when using your weighted blanket.
#1- Use Your Weighted Blanket in a Cool Room
We mentioned it above and it begs repeating; using a weighted blanket in a cool room is the best way to keep from overheating. Not only that but scientific studies have shown people sleep better in a cooler room, even in winter. Two easy and simple ways to do that include turning up the air-conditioning or using a fan.
#2- Remove Other Blankets and Sheets From Your Bed
Here's a fact; a weighted blanket will keep you quite comfy in winter. Thus, you can remove all of your other blankets and sheets except for the bottom sheet. (You'll still stay comfy, we promise.) In summer, you can do the same, using just a bottom sheet with your weighted blanket. One recommendation is to use a light cotton or bamboo duvet cover to keep your weighted blanket clean.
#3- Let Parts of You Stick Out
Some people might have a small problem with this last suggestion. However, if you can do it, sticking your shoulders, arms, hands, and feet out from under your weighted blanket will keep your body much cooler.
#4- Stay Hydrated At Night
Yes, the worst thing in the world is being awakened during a beautiful sleep by the need to go to the bathroom. That being said, water helps regulate your body temperature, especially at night. No, you don't want to chug down half a gallon of water before bed-time, but a small glass shouldn't have you scrambling to hit the head in most cases.
There Are Plenty Of Ways To Stay Cool With a Weighted Blanket
The benefits of using a weighted blanket, in almost all cases, outweigh the chance that you might overheat when using one. That being said, we hope that the suggestions and tips you've read here today will allow you to use a weighted blanket in the utmost of comfort.