Wellness trends come and go, but among the biggest and most enduring of the past few years has been weighted blankets. As the Covid-19 pandemic threw everyone’s lives off balance, we found ourselves seeking ways to soothe anxiety and insomnia and to try to come to terms with the uncertainty that persists to this day.

A weighted blanket – traditionally a therapeutic device for people with autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder – is proven to lower anxiety and help alleviate insomnia. And that could be because of our “sixth sense” known as proprioception: our unconscious awareness of the position and movement of our body.

The science behind weighted blankets means they have gone mainstream, and like most trendy wellbeing aids, they can carry a hefty price tag. Some cost north of £300, putting them out of reach for many. But Silentnight’s weighted blanket scored highly in our recent round-up, despite it’s low price tag. Here we go into more detail about its features and design.

How we tested

We trialled the 6.8kg version of the weighted blanket over several days and nights to see if it changed how we felt and slept. This was the product closest to 10 per cent of our tester’s body weight (the recommended ratio for selecting the correct weight of blanket for you).

In testing, we looked at how comfortable the blanket was and noted any changes in our anxiety levels and ability to sleep during and after use. We also analysed the quality and ease of care. The Silentnight weighted blanket doesn’t come with the cover included, but you can buy one separately. We’ve also considered the cover in this review.

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Silentnight weighted blanket

Buy now £69.99, Sleepypeople.com

Sizes available: 150cm x 200cm
Weights available: 6.8kg, 9kg and a 3kg 90cm x 120cm children’s weighted blanket (£44.99, Sleepypeople.com)
Removable cover included? Not technically, but a reversible cover is available as a bundle with the weighted blanket and is currently on offer for £69.99 (Sleepypeople.com) – so the same price as the blanket on its own
Rating: 8/10

Design and make

First impressions are good. This feels like a weighted blanket of superior quality, with a deliciously soft dark grey microfibre fabric holding the weighted elements. Thousands of tiny glass beads are held within large, evenly stitched quilt squares, and extra padding means the beads are almost undetectable, especially through the outer cover. The weight is distributed perfectly across the entire blanket, and the beads are silent even when it’s shaken out.

The reversible cover has a light grey 100 per cent cotton side and a darker grey, dimpled minky fabric side, which has a velvety soft feel. It is quite thin, but the quality of the fabrics and stitching appears good. It feels breathable and doesn’t add any extra weight to the blanket, so we could see ourselves happily sleeping under it all year round.

There are loops around the edge of the weighted inner blanket that correspond with fabric ties inside the cover to keep it in place throughout the night and stop it all shifting to the bottom or off the side of the bed. The blanket is also hypoallergenic.

Comfort and sleep-inducing powers

This weighted blanket has become our tester’s work-from-home winter essential – it keeps you warm and soothes during the dark, chilly days. We can’t guarantee it’ll keep you in a zen state of mind when you’re up against a deadline, handling a complaint or on your zillionth Zoom call of the day, but it certainly helped our tester to feel calmer.

Feeling less anxious during the day also, unsurprisingly, seems to have a positive impact on the way you fall asleep at night when using the blanket. We especially liked how it gently enveloped our body, giving the feeling of a soft hug. We were able to fall asleep faster and wake less often during the night, which naturally helped us feel better the next day too.

Care

You’ll be using your blanket a lot, so regular washing is a must. Thankfully, both the inner weighted blanket and cover are machine washable at 40C – but check that your washing machine can take the weight of your blanket. It can also be tumble dried on a low heat, which is a brilliant help because weighted blankets can take days to air dry.

Besides washing, we’d also recommend regularly shaking out the blanket as you would with any other duvet. It also comes with a one-year guarantee.

The verdict: Silentnight weighted blanket

This weighted blanket challenges all widely held assumptions about buying cheap, buying twice. It feels and looks high quality and performs just as well as higher-priced alternatives on the market when it comes to soothing and relaxing. In fact, the price is among the things we love most about this product because it means more people can feel the benefits of a weighted blanket without having to shell out hundreds of pounds. That alone should help you sleep easy.

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