Weighted blankets, lap pads and wraps: what weight, what size and how to wash them

What weight of weighted blanket should you get?

Start at about 10% of your body weight. That is the guide Dunelm gives, and it is the figure most makers use.

• 50kg person: about 5kg
• 60kg person: about 6kg
• 70kg person: about 7kg
• 90kg person: about 9kg

Blankets come in fixed weights, so you will often land between two. If you do, go lighter: it is easier to add weight later with a second, smaller blanket than to live with one that feels like too much. The test that matters is simple. You should be able to move freely underneath and lift it off yourself without effort.

Heavier is not better. A blanket that pins you down is a blanket you stop using.

What else to look for in a weighted blanket

Weight gets the attention, but size, filling and washing decide whether you keep using it.

• Size, in centimetres. Weight that hangs off the edge of the bed is weight you are not feeling, and it can slide off in the night. The Dunelm and Emma blankets are 150 by 200cm; the Silentnight children's blanket is 100 by 150cm.
• Filling. Dunelm, Emma and Sleepymoon all use glass beads. Dunelm combines them with polyester fibre; Emma layers them with polyester padding in quilted microfibre.
• Cover. A soft cover feels warmer; a cooler fabric suits summer. The Dunelm cover is 100% polyester microfibre; the Emma cover is 100% cotton. The Sleepymoon wrap has a fleece side and a bamboo side, so you can flip it.
• Washing. Dunelm says its blanket is machine washable, tumble dry on low heat only, and not for ironing. Silentnight says its children's blanket is machine washable. Emma says its blanket is heavier than a household washing machine can take, and suggests a blanket cover or hand washing. A 7kg blanket gets much heavier when wet, so check your drum capacity, or use a launderette's big machines.
• Who it is for. Dunelm describes its blanket as single-user. Buy one per person.
• Where you will use it. A 7kg blanket is a sofa or bed object; it does not travel and it is awkward to fold away. If you want weight on a train, at a desk or at work, a lap pad or shoulder wrap is the realistic choice.

Lap pads and wraps: when is a blanket too much?

Choose a lap pad or wrap when you want weight at a desk, on the sofa in summer, or somewhere a blanket would look odd.

A lap pad sits across your thighs and stays put while you work or watch television. Sensory Direct's starts at about £44, and it says the pad is made in the UK with a lifetime guarantee. It is also far easier to wash and carry than a full blanket.

A shoulder wrap puts the weight on your neck and shoulders instead. The Sleepymoon wrap is 1.35kg of glass beads, with a fleece side for winter and a cooler bamboo side for warmer days. It is one for sitting up with, not for sleeping in.

Both are cheaper than a good blanket and a sensible way to find out whether you like weight at all.

Are weighted blankets safe for children?

Not for babies, and only with care for children.

The Lullaby Trust, the UK safer-sleep charity, does not recommend weighted swaddles, blankets or sleeping bags for babies under one year, because of the risk of overheating and head covering, and because the weight can press on a baby's chest.

For older children, Dunelm's own guidance for its adult blanket says it is unsuitable for children under 3, and that for children the head and neck must not be covered and they must be able to remove the blanket themselves. Emma says it would not recommend its weighted blanket for babies or small children. The National Autistic Society notes that the Royal College of Occupational Therapists recommends an occupational therapist assesses the use of weighted blankets and vests.

The Silentnight children's blanket here is 3kg and sized for a child's bed, but its page did not show an age or child-weight guide when we checked. Ask Silentnight before buying, and use the 10% guide as a ceiling, not a target.

Things to know

• The maker's warnings count. Dunelm says its weighted blanket is unsuitable for elderly users, during pregnancy, for people with epilepsy, and not recommended for people with breathing or heart conditions. If any of that applies to you, ask your GP first.
• Watch the heat. Weight holds fabric close to the body. If you run hot, start with a lap pad or wrap.
• We stick to weights, sizes and washing. Weighted products are sold with a lot of claims. We are not making any; we describe the object and let you decide.
• What we could not verify. Sensory Direct's product pages would not load for us, so the weights, sizes and washing details for its blanket and lap pad are not confirmed here. Details are from our product listing. We have not tested any of these products.