At the end of a long day (or even the start of one), sometimes all we want is a hug. Or at the very least, a big fluffy dog to snuggle with. When neither is available, never fear, the weighted blanket is here. These are heavier-than-usual throws or comforters meant to wrap the body in a soothing embrace. Weighted blankets are surging in popularity thanks to many proponents saying they have stress-, anxiety-, and insomnia-relieving effects. I can firmly say that the hype is palpable. I’ll be honest with you, it is hard to declare which weighted blanket (if any) is “the best”, as one person’s “gentle pressure” is somebody else’s “Help, I’m trapped!” But quality and washability are good starting points.
Thanks to the bottomless stress that college serves on tap, and a brain that wouldn’t shut off, I was in search of a way to get a better night’s rest. As a serial tosser-and-turner, it’s often difficult for me to fall — and stay — asleep. I am constantly mulling over what I have to endure and accomplish the next day. It is a vicious cycle that never fails to leave me feeling completely drained in the morning.
So with Sonaice’s 15-pound weighted blanket in hand, I made the trek from the Amazon pick-up center to my apartment. Weak-armed, I plopped into bed, hopeful but nervous (and exhausted). Upon opening the box, it actually comes with a little card that warns you “the first 3 nights may be uncomfortable as you get used to it.” I was scared that the blanket would be uncomfortably restrictive and too hot (disrupting my already sporadic sleep), but I was able to turn onto my side pretty easily, and it didn’t cause me to overheat.
One of the unique features of Sonaice’s weighted blanket is that it has a cooling effect. This was perfect for me, considering my bedroom has no AC. Honestly speaking, I probably won’t use a weighted blanket on 90-degree nights, but it was totally fine on a 70-degree night. This weighted blanket in particular is also machine-washable, so in case the blanket did make me a little sweaty, I could rest easy knowing that I could just toss it into the washer the next morning.
When I slipped under the blanket, I felt like I was wrapped in a cocoon, as if the blanket were hugging me. Although it was possible for me to shift onto my side, the blanket was definitely snugger than my regular comforter, and I felt like it encouraged my body to stay still. Normally, I’m pretty restless in bed and the act of moving around consequently causes my mind to wander. However, because I couldn’t physically move as much, I noticed that my thoughts weren’t racing as much either. I was able to just focus on the present, and that made it exponentially easier to fall asleep.
For the first time that I could remember, I didn’t wake up once in the middle of the night. After 7 hours of solid sleep, I felt so refreshed that I actually stayed awake through my entire 8AM lecture. The world seemed brighter. It was like a dream sequence (pun-intended) from a movie. I was the protagonist thrown into a perfectly utopian universe.
But is there really any concrete evidence to support my seemingly better sleep experience? Or was it all in my head? Now, I could bore you all with research and case studies preaching the stress and anxiety-relieving impacts of weighted blankets. But, we all know that information is readily available with a simple Google search. Rather, I want to emphasize to you the outcome of my own personal experience. As someone who was a weighted blanket virgin until a few months ago, I did not want to spend big bucks on a product that I was not even sure would work for me. Yes, there are plenty of $100, $200, even $300+ weighted blankets out there. After spending 3 months with Sonaice’s $43 product, I genuinely cannot imagine how my experience could get any better.
To put it simply, getting a weighted blanket is surprisingly similar to getting a puppy. You may live your life perfectly fine until you finally decide to invest and get the puppy, after which your life changes for the better forever. It takes some getting used to at first, but you fall in love with this new warmth in your life. Every night is snuggly & comforting, and the best part is, the puppy will never talk back at you like your groggy significant other might in bed. I for one, have no regrets and cannot imagine life without my weighted blanket (nor my puppy).
