Turns out weighted blankets aren’t miracle workers. At least not for me.
I believed weighted blankets were the unicorns of the sleep world, and catching one would surely grant me immediate access to an uninterrupted night’s sleep.
Oh, the things you believe when you’re exhausted.
Weighted blankets have become a trendy thing. With me, it started last holiday season. Target had them as a Black Friday deal for only $50. Weighted blankets, at least high-quality ones, can run upwards of well over $200, depending on the size you get.
I didn’t manage to snag one at that price, so I let it go for awhile. Then, recently my co-worker introduced me to the website Meh.com, which featured a weighted blanket for only $35! Being suspicious of it’s price, I ultimately went over to Amazon and found one for $50 and decent reviews. So I bought it.
I waited anxiously for my magic blanket to arrive. When it did, I was like a kid on Christmas morning.
I couldn’t wait to go to bed that night and try it out. My thought was I’d throw that 15 pound blanket on me and it would wrap me in its heavy hug and put me to sleep and keep me there all night, trapped like a happy little hostage.
My husband watched me with reservations. He only sleeps with a paper-thin sheet that he’s had for probably at least 15 years, and he’s also claustrophobic, so the idea of a weighted blanket being on him to sleep was not appealing at all. He told me I was going to get too hot.
I didn’t want to listen. No one should speak ill of my magic blanket.
The first night it was an odd sensation having 15 pounds of beads and material draped over my body. I kept my arms out and pulled the blanket down to just below my shoulders. Even in a camisole and shorts, I was getting warm.
I kicked a leg out to cool myself. Surely, I just needed to get used to it.
Night One brought no magical sleep. I would try again.
Night Two, I was less enthusiastic for sleep. It’s like I knew it wouldn’t be what I hoped but was in denial.
After two nights of feeling like I had a sprawled out toddler on me, heating my body like a little furnace, I threw in the towel. Weighted blankets are not magical wizards of sleep.
The next day, I folded it up and returned it to it’s package. I had also purchased a minky fleece cover that I never even opened (can you imagine the scorching heat?!).
So I returned the weighted blanket and cover, and in my never-ending quest for sleep, I purchased a memory foam cooling pillow, which I love. Next up, a new memory foam mattress. I will sleep well one day, right?
The Maternal Canvas 