Do Weighted Blankets Make You Hot?

Does heavy mean hot? Does weight equal warm? More specifically, do weighted blankets make you hot?

Some form of that question tends to pop up when it comes to weighted blankets, and it’s an essential one to answer as it really depends on certain factors.

The materials are a key factor for achieving the temperature you need, as each fabric has strengths and weaknesses. But the design is equally important. In the case of weighted blankets, the choices made around these two elements can be the difference between sleeping in comfort and sleeping in a sauna.

What is it About a Blanket That Makes You Warm?

Let’s get this out of the way right off the bat because it’ll be important for the rest of the article.

If weighted blankets are hot to sleep under, it has less to do with how heavy they are and more to do with microclimates.

A toasty little microclimate is exactly what you’re creating when you dive under the sheets. Your body releases heat as you sleep and the little bubble you’ve wrapped yourself in traps it in.

Some of the microclimate conditions that can lead to a hot weighted blanket are specific to the person. For example, a study from 1993 found that women generally have a lower resting metabolic rate (RMR) than men, meaning they burn fewer calories at rest, and therefore produce less heat. It also means that there ends up being less trapped under the blanket.

Within male and female groups, other factors like menopause and muscle mass are also important.

While you might think your new workout regime is influencing the microclimate under your weighted blanket, the design has just as much of a say.

How Blanket Filler Impacts Heat

Some of the best blanket fillers for getting warm are also the lightest, like down feather. There’s a reason that people who climb Mount Everest use it in their jackets and sleeping bags.

Any heat that leaves the body gets trapped and keeps the hikers toasty. It’s also nearly weightless, so they can keep their packs light as they make the mad dash for the summit.

So how can something so light-weight keep people warm in such extreme conditions? It has more to do with the density and trapping warm air in the feathers than anything else.

The best down feather sleeping bags are full of separate sections so the feathers don’t clump at the bottom or top of the bag. This ensures that heat from the body doesn’t have an escape route. For the same reason, some weighted blankets can make you hot.

The Design of a Weighted Blanket Affects How Hot it Is

Many weighted blanket companies use a design similar to down sleeping bags to get the weight necessary for the calming, therapeutic effects they’re known for.

Pockets are sewn all over and filled with weighted pellets, often plastic pellets. It’s one way to make sure the weight of the blanket doesn’t slide around, reducing those calming effects.

Unfortunately, pellets made of polymers are great at trapping heat from your body, turning your weighted blanket into a heated one.

The design also isn’t very breathable, so no matter what fabric is used in the casing, the microclimate of the weighted blanket may still make you hot.

A Different Approach to Weighted Blankets

The good news is that there are other ways to make a weighted blanket. For example, Bearaby’s weighted blankets are made with patented weighted yarn so that the weight is evenly distributed while leaving plenty of space in between the weaves for air to escape.

Our weighted blankets look like a traditional knitted blanket while also being evenly weighted. Using them may give you all the benefits of a weighted blanket while allowing air to move freely in and out. Imagine doing all of this while also being sustainable!

But the design of a weighted blanket is only one of the factors that makes it hot.

How Weighted Blanket Fabric Can Make It Hotter

Today, weighted blankets are made with many different materials. Those materials can have almost as much of an impact on how hot you get under the blanket as the design.

A 2016 study found wool to be a better fabric to wear to bed as subjects got better sleep at a temperature of 17 C compared to cotton. At 22 C, cotton became the preferred material.

In addition to these fabrics, there are other options like linen, velvet, and TENCEL™. Some are designed to keep you warm at night and others are better for cooler climates.

If you’re looking for a weighted blanket that gives you a great sleep throughout the night, the first stop is matching the fabric to your specific climate needs.

The Reason Some Fabrics are Better for Hot Sleepers

Some fabrics are better for warmer conditions for the same reason certain blanket designs are better: the materials are denser and allow less air flow.

For that reason, hot sleepers should be running in the exact opposite direction, to free-flowing, breathable bedding.

The other major reason why some fabrics are cooler has to do with the ability to wick sweat. If your blanket collects sweat on the surface rather than wicking it away, you’re in for a night of discomfort.

So, if you often find yourself giving your bedding the boot, look for a weighted blanket with light weight fabric. It’ll give you a better shot at keeping cool and having a relaxing sleep.

The Best Weighted Blanket Materials for Hot Sleepers

It’s time to dive more into the specifics of cooling bedding materials, because when trying to get a good night’s sleep, a hot environment can be one of the biggest disrupters.

As mentioned, the weighted blanket’s design has a big role to play in keeping cool, but the fabric does too. You want something that’s breathable and moisture wicking.

Here are three of the best fabrics to look out for:

• TENCEL™. Heard of it before? It’s a sustainable fabric made from the pulp of eucalyptus trees that also happens to be one of the best materials out there for hot sleepers. As a bonus, it’s silky smooth and moisture wicking. These are just some of the many reasons we use it in the Tree Napper, our summertime weighted blanket.
• Linen is another great option for hot sleepers. It’s been a mainstay in the bedding industry for a long time, and for a good reason. Linen blankets are great for keeping cool in the summer.
• Bamboo fabric is similar to TENCEL™ in that it’s made from trees and has recently gained popularity as a lightweight bedding solution. It’s very breathable and can help keep moisture away.

 

The Best Weighted Blanket Materials For Cold Sleepers

Any couple who has ever shared a bed will agree that finding a blanket situation that works for both parties is a challenge. Men usually want to be colder. Women like it a little warmer because of factors such as their lower metabolic rate.

So, for the half of the bed that wants it warmer, there are plenty of materials to bring you comfort. They also might be ones to avoid if you run hot at night.

Here are some of the best to look out for:

• Velvet. A dense, yet smooth fabric that retains heat well while feeling great on your skin. It used to be made from tightly woven silk, but these days most types of velvet use synthetic materials. However, Bearaby’s eco-friendly Velvet Napper is made with ocean-bound plastic and is a great option for cold sleepers.
• Wool. When you think of wool, scratchy turtlenecks might come to mind, but there are many types of wool that are more comfortable. The material makes great bedding, especially in colder conditions.
• Flannel. This one may be too hot for a lot of people, so only use it if you’re a very cold sleeper. Flannel is often used as an outdoor clothing option, but it also makes comfortable bedding, especially in the winter months.

 

Something in Between

Some people are blessed with bodies that don’t run too hot or too cold. For those people, weighted blankets made with cotton may be the best option.

Cotton has been a standard in bedding forever, and for good reason. It performs well in the winter while also being light and breezy enough to withstand the heat of summer.

There are many different types of cotton sheets with different thread counts, but they share similarities as all-season bedding champions.

Our Cotton Napper is one option to consider for those wanting a weighted blanket that isn’t too hot or too cold. It’s great all year round. It’s pre-washed to provide the greatest comfort right away and uses the same knitted design as all our other weighted blankets, making it just as breathable.

Conclusion

As we dive under weighted blankets, we create microclimates with the heat of our body. That heat can’t escape if the design is filled with plastic and dense fabric.

Instead, consider a more breathable design if you run hot. You may also want to look at options like the Tree Napper, Cotton Napper, and Velvet Napper that all use different fabrics.

Weighted blankets can make you hot if the design doesn’t allow air to flow free, but if you get the right type, they shouldn’t be any hotter than a normal blanket.