Do you often find yourself lying in bed, tossing and turning, struggling to relax and fall asleep at night? A weighted duvet could be the solution to your problem. Weighted duvets may offer a range of benefits, including improved sleep quality and enhanced relaxation. In this blog post, we’ll delve deeper into why a weighted duvet could be a valuable addition to your sleep setup while looking at some common questions:
- What is a weighted duvet?
- What should you be aware of when buying a weighted duvet?
- Why does a weighted duvet have a calming effect?
- How much does a weighted duvet cost?
What is a weighted duvet?
A weighted duvet is a specially designed, extra-heavy duvet that many people find has a calming effect, making it a popular choice among those will a special interest in health and high-quality sleep. The most distinctive feature of a weighted duvet is naturally its weight.
While regular duvets with natural or fibre filling typically weigh no more than 1.3 kg, weighted duvets are significantly heavier. In JYSK, we offer weighted duvets in two weight classes:
- 7 kg
- 9 kg
The added weight comes from the unique filling of the duvet. Unlike regular duvets filled with light materials such as down, feathers, and fibre, most weighted duvets are filled primarily with small glass beads which generally make up around 95% of the weighted duvet’s filling. This filling makes the duvet heavier, allowing it to conform to the contours of your body while providing a slight, evenly distributed pressure across your body.
When you try a weighted duvet, you’ll immediately notice how closely and gently it wraps around your body, providing a snug, comforting, and soothing experience.
What should you be aware of when you buy a weighted duvet?
It’s important to choose a weighted duvet that matches your body weight – especially choosing one that is not too heavy for your body. As a general rule of thumb, the duvet should not exceed 10-15% of your body weight. For example, if you weigh 70 kg, both 7 kg and 9 kg weighted duvets are suitable. If you weigh 50 kg – following the rule of thumb of maximum 15% of your body weight – the weighted duvet should not exceed 7.5 kg. The 9 kg version would thus be slightly too heavy in this case.
It is important to note that choosing a duvet with the right weight is essential to gain the most from the weighted duvet. Finding the right balance is key – you should feel the slight, gentle pressure of the weight on you, so it shouldn’t be too light. On the other hand, it also shouldn’t be too heavy as this would restrict your movement and potentially put too much pressure on you.
Your weight | Weighted duvet weight |
50-60 kg | |
60-70 kg | |
70-80 kg | |
80-90 kg | |
90+ kg |
Why does a weighted duvet have a calming effect?
Many people find that a duvet with extra weight provides a sense of comfort and security. A weighted duvet clings to your body with a slight, pleasant pressure that has a relaxing effect, which can be especially beneficial if you feel restless or stressed at bedtime.
The pressure from a weighted duvet is often compared to a soft hug. Studies have shown that weighted duvets, like hugs, may reduce anxiety by calming the nervous system. This is why they are used in various forms of anxiety and stress treatments. The calming effect is mainly due to the tactile sensation of the weighted duvet, which triggers a relaxing response in the nervous system similar to the effects of a massage or acupuncture.
How do you get started with using a weighted duvet?
A weighted duvet is similar to a regular duvet in many ways. Simply cover it with a duvet cover and it's ready to use. Despite being significantly heavier than a regular duvet, there's no reason to hesitate in trying one out for yourself.
One thing that may require a little adjusting to is the feel of the weighted duvet. Due to its construction, it's much flatter compared to a fluffy duvet with either natural or fibre filling. If you're accustomed to lighter duvets with more volume, using a weighted duvet will provide a very different experience. To get started, some people may like to layering their old duvet on top of the weighted one to maintain a thicker feel.
Another approach is to start by using the weighted duvet over your legs and keeping your familiar duvet over the rest of your body. This gradual adjustment helps you get used to the weight. It typically takes around 14 days to adapt to your new weighted duvet. If you aren’t immediately feeling its calming effects, don't be discouraged – it's only after getting used to it that you'll experience the full soothing benefits and will be able to notice a difference in your sleep patterns.
Are weighted duvets warmer than normal duvets?
The glass beads in a weighted duvet are tightly packed within a fibre filling. Due to the density of the beads, weighted duvets tend to retain heat slightly more than average duvets. However, they aren't significantly warmer than other duvets.
Many people comfortably use their weighted duvets even on the hottest summer days. For those who tend to feel hot at night, switching to a lighter summer duvet during warmer months may be a good option. We recommend keeping your old duvet for occasions when you might feel too warm under your weighted duvet.
How much does a weighted duvet cost?
Due to its unique filling, a weighted duvet is generally slightly more costly than other types. However, In JYSK, our weighted duvets are priced comparably to our fibre and natural duvets. To learn more about the cost of duvets in general, check out our blog post: How much does a duvet cost?
In JYSK, you’ll only find weighted duvets as single duvets and not double. This is due to the simple fact that the “hug effect” that a weighted duvet provides is difficult to both maintain and correct if the duvet is covering two people at once.
To learn more about duvets, check out our ultimate guide: Which duvet should you choose? If you’re particularly interested in knowing more about duvet sizes, check out our guide to choosing the right duvet size.
Sources
