Brooklinen, a direct-to-consumer linen and sleep accessory brand, is the latest in a saturated bedding market to launch a weighted comforter. The more typical and ever popular weighted blankets are just one facet of an ever-growing industry of sleep aiding products. In 2017, the sleep aids space was valued at $69.5 billion, according to market research firm Prescient & Strategic Intelligence — that’s expected to grow to $101.9 billion by 2023.
On a normal day, those suffering from insomnia or anxiety struggle to fall asleep. And given the fraught reality of the coronavirus pandemic, those numbers may surpass predictions. “I have this weird feeling there may be a surge in weighted blankets right now because of all the anxiety going on,” says Raj Dasgupta, MD, an assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Southern California. “And it seems that bedding is getting an overhaul anyways. It’s the hottest topic.”
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What is a weighted comforter?
Unlike the popular weighted blanket, a weighted comforter consolidates that extra heavy layer and your comforter into one product, so you’re not sleeping under a pile of thick, tangled blankets. Plus, weighted comforters generally occupy the entire surface area of your bed, whereas weighted blankets are often sized for quick naps on the couch or dragging from one reading chair to another.
Should you get a weighted comforter?
Most of the benefits of a weighted comforter duplicate those of a weighted blanket, but comforters do add some unique features that elevate their usefulness.
Like weighted blankets, they might help ease loneliness and help promote sleep. While there’s no hard evidence that a weighted blanket will help you sleep, a weighted comforter or blanket might mimic the feeling of human contact, a welcome respite during self-isolation. “It’s very timely,” says Dasgupta. “If you don’t have anyone to give you a big hug, you can put the blanket on you while you’re trying to relax.”
Rafael Pelayo, MD, a clinical professor at Stanford University School of Medicine and a board-certified sleep specialist, suggests it might also release oxytocin, a hormone that promotes social bonding, thus making it a practical consideration before prescription or over-the-counter drugs. And the National Sleep Foundation stipulates that a weighted blanket might lull you to sleep the same way you once were as a newborn.
Like weighted blankets, they could help those with special needs. As we previously reported in BETTER, one popular use for weighted blankets is in helping treat children with disorders like autism and ADHD.
“My son has autism, and what does the blanket provide? That sensory stimulus that many kids with autism need,” Dasgupta told NBC News, adding the function it can provide parents who are navigating similar situations with restricted access to their normal routines during the pandemic. “It puts a lot on these hard-working parents to calm them down, and if they can use a weighted blanket to help the kids refocus […] this is a time where it may be necessary,” he says.
Unlike weighted blankets, weighted comforters might be cleaner. “We knew that hygiene was a pain point with many weighted blankets and sought to offer a solution by creating ours as a comforter built for our duvet covers to allow for washing,” says Katie Elks, director of design and product development at Brooklinen. “Most weighted blankets are unable to be washed.”
With these benefits, there are some drawbacks to weighted blankets and comforters you should keep in mind while shopping:
- They’re generally heavy and so might be hard to travel with.
- That weight could also get hot so they may not be the best way to approach terribly hot nights.
How to shop for a weighted comforter
Because sleep is such an essential component of general health and wellbeing, it’s imperative that a weighted comforter perform both stylistically (read: fancy interchangeable duvet covers) as well as functionally.
Brooklinen’s weighted comforters use the same “high-quality, breathable materials” as their original comforters, says Elks, suggesting that shoppers are more likely to return to a fabric like sateen — a cooling, silky material — that they already know and love. But according to Dasgupta, there’s no one material you should opt for over another. “Brooklinen’s formula might work for some, but it ultimately comes down to personal preference,” he says. Always read the label and ensure you’re not allergic to any, he recommends.
Above all, Dasgupta recommends: Avoid thinking of weighted blankets and comforters as panaceas. “You can’t just buy a weighted blanket or comforter and get good sleep immediately. It’s one part of the foundation of good sleep,” he says. “On top of just wearing a blanket, you need set bedtimes, set wake times, to watch your diet, exercise and watch what you eat and when you eat — adding the blanket to that foundation is when you get results.”
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Best weighted comforters to shop
There are several weighted comforters to consider as you’re shopping, and each presents some unique factors. Here are some of the best weighted comforters to consider:
1. Brooklinen Weighted Comforter
Brooklinen’s weighted comforter features a quilted 400-thread count sateen cotton shell with corner loops that attach to a washable duvet cover, along with an interior quilted layer filled with glass beads.
2. Bearaby Weighted Comforter
Bearaby’s weighted comforter includes a glass filler encased in a blend of cotton and eucalyptus fiber.
3. Degrees of Comfort Weighted Blanket
You can transform Degrees of Comfort’s weighted blanket into a comforter, thanks to a selection of duvet covers that provide your choice of warmth or breathability.
4. BlanQuil Royale Weighted Comforter
BlanQuil Royale’s highly-rated weighted comforter is centered in the middle of the comforter to prevent it from slipping off the mattress, you can wrap yourself in its outermost surface area on the couch when you’re looking for a lighter touch.
Best weighted blankets that work well as comforters
Whether you’re looking for warmth while you read or a sense of calm while you sleep, these options work double duty as both a weighted blanket and comforter.
1. Gravity Blanket (limited availability)
Its gridded stitching on a microfleece exterior ensures even weight distribution. For added comfort, pair it with the Gravity Weighted Sleep Mask to ease tension on facial pressure points.
2. Layla Weighted Blanket
This heavyweight in the bedding industry works as a single-use blanket for lounging and an added layer on top of your comforter. Plus, it’s washable.
3. Purple + Gravity Weighted Blanket
The Purple+ Gravity Weighted Blanket features dual-sided technology. One side has a mink fabric that offers comfort and the other side has a cooling fabric which is ideal for warm sleepers. Weighted beads are distributed throughout the blanket so that you can sleep under even pressure.
4. Bearaby Sleeper
This heavyweight in the bedding industry works as a single-use blanket for lounging and an added layer on top of your comforter. Plus, it’s washable.
5. BlanQuil Royale Weighted Comforter
Because its weight is centered in the middle of the comforter to prevent it from slipping off the mattress, you can wrap yourself in its outermost surface area on the couch when you’re looking for a lighter touch.
6. Nest Bedding Luxury Weighted Blanket
Because this uber-plush option comes in three sizes (twin, queen and king), it could essentially operate as a weighted comforter. Wash its outer layer to achieve better sleep hygiene and perhaps find comfort in its cozy fleece or cooling cotton side, depending on your temperature needs.
CORRECTION (April 30, 2020, 9 a.m. ET): An earlier version of this article misspelled the last name of a Stanford University professor. He is Rafael Pelayo, not Palayo.
