If You Need Me, I’ll Be Under This Weighted Blanket

I’ll admit it took me a while to hop on board the weighted blanket train. Not because I doubted its powers—I know the benefits are more anecdotal than scientific, but I could clearly see the allure of burying myself beneath a very heavy, very fuzzy blanket. No, it took me a while to try out a weighted blanket because I worried that once I crawled into its comforting and smothering embrace, I would never reemerge.

And I was right.

Just kidding. But I’m serious in saying that weighted blankets have gotten me through election season in a serious way and I don’t see that stopping now. Anecdotally, people love weighted blankets for a variety of reasons. For me it eases the physical symptoms of anxiety (like my racing heart and chest tightness) and helps me sleep, both by knocking me out faster and keeping me from tossing and turning. Seriously, each time I sleep beneath a weighted blanket, it feels like I’m full-on hibernating for the winter, which was exactly what I need after such an emotionally draining couple of weeks.

I’ve had a chance to try out a few different brands thanks to my job (not even on purpose—I ordered in one product sample, and then others just kept showing up!!!) and have settled on a favorite: the Layla Weighted Blanket. If you’ve ever thought to yourself, Wow, I could really go for a nice coma right now (something I’ve been saying to myself ever since I first encountered this joke on Tumblr), then the Layla Weighted Blanket is for you. It has a lot of stand-out features that set it apart from its competition (at least the competition I tried).

First, the basics. The Layla Weighted Blanket comes in three sizes: twin (15 pounds), queen (20 pounds), or king (25 pounds). A lot of weighted blanket companies suggest choosing a weighted blanket that’s about 10% of your body weight, so with those options, the Layla might be a little heavy for some people and a little light for others. That said, I chose the queen before I knew this unofficial rule because, well, I have a queen-size bed and it made sense? Admittedly, that means its weight is a little overwhelming at times, but tbh, I love it for precisely that reason. But if you’re hoping for a blanket that doesn’t feel like it could swallow you whole and is a little easier to move from, say, your bed to the couch, you might want to stick to the 10% or less rule.

Now let’s talk about the features that pushed it over the edge for me into favorite status. Its unique hexagon quilting pattern ensures that the glass beads inside don’t move around a ton or clump together, which keeps the weight distribution even. Also, a lot of other weighted blankets can be noisy when you move them, but the quilted pattern of the Layla keeps the beads nice and quiet, which was important to me in choosing a blanket. (The loud blankets freak out my cats and then they attack the blankets in retaliation. Seriously. I hear this isn’t actually that uncommon.)

The Layla is also double-sided. One side is plush and cozy, and the other is soft cotton. I blatantly favor the fuzzy side right now, but I’m sure I’ll appreciate the versatility in warmer months or when I just need a change.

Last, and most important to me (a messy cat mom who needs to be able to easily clean all fabrics in her house), the Layla is machine washable! For reference, a lot of weighted blankets require some more upkeep—some are spot-clean or dry-clean only, while others have removable duvets you can wash separately. But you can just toss the Layla in the wash on its own.

Ultimately, only you know what you need in a weighted blanket—and it might be different than the Layla!—but if you’re looking for one that is soft, versatile, easy to keep clean, and very, very effective at delivering on the promise of cocooning you away from the world under a solid mass of coziness, the Layla is my recommendation. It’s also conveniently on sale right now. If it still doesn’t sound like the one for you, good news: We also have this roundup of other weighted blankets for your consideration.

Related: 

• 12 Best-Selling Weighted Blankets That Hug You Like a Friend

• Do Weighted Blankets Even Do Anything for Anxiety?

• 7 Best Blankets for Everyone on Your Holiday List