Weighted Blanket Calculator

1. Choose who it is for. The calculator gives a weight for adults and teens only. Babies and children get safety guidance instead.
2. Enter body weight and preference. Use pounds or kilograms, then choose lighter, standard or heavier pressure.
3. Check the safety question. Some health conditions mean you should talk to a doctor before using a weighted blanket.

A weighted blanket is a blanket filled with glass beads, plastic pellets or metal chains so that it presses evenly on the body. Many people find the firm, even pressure calming, a little like a hug. Research on exactly how it works is limited, so it is best thought of as a comfort aid that some people find helpful.

The strongest evidence comes from a randomized trial of 120 adults with insomnia and depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety or ADHD. After 4 weeks, 59.4% of people using a weighted chain blanket had a clear improvement in insomnia, compared with 5.4% using a light control blanket, and 42.2% versus 3.6% reached remission. To check your own insomnia symptoms, try the insomnia severity calculator.

The calculator uses the widely quoted rule of about 10% of body weight as a starting point, then matches it to the sizes blankets are actually sold in.

1. Kilograms are converted to pounds (divide by 0.4536).
2. Your preference sets the percentage: lighter 8%, standard 10%, heavier 12%.
3. The result is rounded to the nearest common size; an exact tie goes to the lighter blanket.

The 10% rule is an industry convention rather than a research-tested number. The adult trial used fixed weights instead: an 8 kg blanket, with a 6 kg option for people who found it too heavy.

Sam weighs 150 lb (68 kg) and wants standard pressure.

A 15 lb blanket sits inside both Sam’s range and the weights used in the adult trial. If it feels too heavy after a few nights, a 12 lb blanket is the next step down.

Body Weight

Heavier people usually need a heavier blanket to feel the same pressure.

Personal Preference

Comfort varies. In the adult trial, 10 people swapped the 8 kg blanket for a 6 kg one, while many in the follow-up later chose a heavier blanket.

Heat

Weighted blankets can feel warm. If you sleep hot, choose a lighter blanket or a breathable cover, and see the sleep temperature calculator.

Sharing A Bed

Partners of different sizes are usually more comfortable with one blanket each, sized to the person rather than the bed.

So the evidence is promising for some adults with insomnia, weaker for children, and limited for people without sleep problems. A weighted blanket is not a replacement for proven insomnia treatment; see how to beat insomnia for the approaches that work long term.

• Babies and toddlers. Safe sleep guidance from the NIH Safe to Sleep campaign and the American Academy of Pediatrics says not to use weighted blankets, swaddles, sleepers or objects on or near a baby.
• Children, unless a doctor or occupational therapist advises it and sets the weight.
• Anyone who cannot lift the blanket off easily, because of weakness, frailty or limited mobility.
• People with breathing or circulation problems, who should ask a doctor first.

Buying Too Heavy

Heavier is not better. Start at or below 10% and move up only if you want more pressure.

Buying A Blanket The Size Of The Bed

Weighted blankets are usually sized to cover the body, not hang over the edges, so the weight stays on you.

Using It For A Child Without Advice

Children are not small adults; get professional advice first.

Expecting It To Fix Insomnia Alone

It may help some people, but sleep habits and treatment for insomnia matter more.

The calculation is simple and exact, but the right weight is a matter of comfort as much as numbers.

A common starting point is about 10% of your body weight, rounded to the nearest blanket size. Go lighter if you sleep hot or feel trapped.

Not directly. It is an industry convention. The largest adult trial used an 8 kg blanket, or 6 kg for people who found 8 kg too heavy.

They may help some adults. In a trial of 120 adults with insomnia and a psychiatric condition, 59.4% improved clearly with a weighted blanket versus 5.4% with a light blanket.

No. Safe sleep guidance says never to use weighted blankets, swaddles or sleepers on or near a baby. Use a wearable blanket instead.

Only with advice from a doctor or occupational therapist. In a trial of autistic children, weighted blankets did not increase sleep time.

Yes. Choose a lighter size or stop using it. You should always be able to lift it off and get out easily.

They can be warmer than a normal duvet. Look for breathable covers or a lighter blanket if you sleep hot.

Usually not. Weighted blankets are sized to cover the body so the weight rests on you rather than hanging over the sides.

Babies, young children without professional advice, and anyone who cannot remove it easily. Ask a doctor first if you have breathing or circulation problems.

• Ekholm et al. A randomized controlled study of weighted chain blankets for insomnia in psychiatric disorders (J Clin Sleep Med, 2020) (120 adults; 8 kg or 6 kg blankets; response 59.4% vs 5.4%)
• Gringras et al. Weighted blankets and sleep in autistic children: a randomized controlled trial (Pediatrics, 2014) (no increase in total sleep time)
• NIH Safe to Sleep: Ways to reduce the risk of SIDS (no weighted blankets, swaddles or objects for babies)
• American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org): A parent’s guide to safe sleep (no weighted products on or near a baby)