Finding the right bed covers can be a big task, with so many options on the market it can be a daunting experience to make the right decision. Two of the most popular choices are wool duvets and weighted blankets. There is a myriad of reasons why you should pick one over the other. We will discuss these reasons here so you can make the best decision for you!

What is a Weighted Blanket?

According to the experts at healthline:

"Weighted blankets are therapeutic blankets that weigh between 5 and 30 pounds. The pressure from the extra weight mimics a therapeutic technique called deep pressure stimulation or pressure therapy."

Weighted blankets are not a new invention by any stretch although their use was almost exclusively in the medical field.  Doctors and therapists were the main purveyors of the product to adult and children patients to help ease psychological disorders. Therapists recommended the use of weighted blankets to patients to solve psychological and behavioral disorders such as anxiety, PTSD, hyperactive behavior in children, etc. 

Weighted blankets unlike wool duvets can be made using a material filling of cotton or down. The added weight element in the blanket can come from discs, polyester beads, or small glass pellets. These “weights” shift evenly within the blanket and occupy the sides around the bed creating the pull pressure of the blanket on top of you. 

Commonly, buyers of weighted blankets for medical purposes will customize the weight of the blanket to achieve their desired pressure feel. This pressure creates a feeling of being hugged by the user underneath and makes them more relaxed. Weighted blankets thus create a sense of calm, a feeling of being safe, and reduce stress or anxiety for sleepers.

Benefits of Weighted Blankets

• Improves sleep! The therapeutic characteristics of the weighted blanket induce a greater mood for sleep.
• Helps relieve bodily pain
• A more natural remedy or solution to Sleep disorders as opposed to pills or drugs
• Induces the creation of oxytocin which is the feel-good hormone
• May aid people with physiological sensory disorders that struggle to sleep due to the stability the pressure of the blanket provides.
• Reduces depression. The “hug-effect” provided by the blanket can affect the feelings of depression people feel and relax their nerves which induces a night of more peaceful sleep.

Downside of Weighted Blankets

• Expensive
• Not a Certain thing. A weighted blanket does not work for everyone. If you are a light sleeper the different weights might take some getting used to and/or may be too heavy in general for your sleep style.
• Storage: Weighted blankets are very heavy and when not in use could take up loads of storage space
• Size: tends to not come in bigger sizes
• Not washable

How to Pick the Right Weighted Blanket?

Therapists commonly recommend for adults that are buying for themselves to choose a weighted blanket that is roughly 10% of their ideal body weight. In the case of buying weighted blankets for children, choosing a lighter weight percentile is highly recommended, to avoid possible injury or suffocation for the user. 

In stores or online shops, the common range for weighted blankets sold are in increments of 5 lbs and usually goes up to 30 lbs. However, it is also common practice to have buyers make customized weighted blankets that fit their required specifications. 

What is a Wool Duvet?

Wool in thewool duvet is made from the hair or fur of a variety of different types of animals, which can include sheep, goats, alpacas, llamas, camels, and rabbits. It is generally at a more affordable price point. The hair from these animals can be made into yarn or spun, which is then weaved into a material that can be used for many different items like wool bedding. 

Most wool bedding in the USA and Canada is made from sheep's wool. As compared to other products out there, wool is naturally flame resistant which gives it another upper hand on the fabric market. Since wool has a natural ability to absorb moisture, it helps to regulate your body’s temperature and humidity, also relieving your body of thermal stress and ensuring a deep comfortable sleep throughout the night just like the Natural Home Australian Wool Duvet from Down Under Bedding.

Benefits of Wool

• Good for most skin types
• Provides relief from allergies
• Has a natural resistance to dust mites
• Breathes to control body temperature, humidity, and comfort
• Maintains optimum body temperature throughout the night. Wool regulates individual body temperatures under the same cover.
• Warm in the winter and cool in the summer
• Fire resistant
• Renewable, sustainable, 100% natural, and biodegradable

Drawbacks of Wool

• Care and Maintenance. Wool duvets cannot be washed too frequently   due to size and mass, and also to extend the lifespan
• Storage problems. The size of wool duvets makes storage when not in use a hassle because they take up a sizable amount of space.
• Weight of fabric. Wool duvets are usually on the heavier side due to the thickness of the material. Luckily, it is significantly lighter than a weighted blanket. 
• Not vegan 
• Wool Duvets can vary in comfort depending on the type of wool, and the build quality of the duvet.

 

Why Should I Buy a Wool Duvet?

If you’re looking for an all-season bedding, wool duvet is your best choice for year-round comfort. Wool is also better for the environment because it is both biodegradable and renewable. Wool is generally very durable, even more so than cotton, and will last for a very long period. The wool fabric serves as a natural insulator to keep you warm in the winter period and also keeps you cool in the summertime due to its breathability. This means you don’t need to buy separate duvets in the summer and winter, reducing your overall bedding costs!

The Verdict

The answer really depends on you! Are you looking for something all season? Something comfortable to sleep in with a partner? Or maybe something that doesn't irritate your allergies? If you answered yes, yes, yes (or even just one yes) then a wool duvet looks good for you. On the other hand, if you have trouble sleeping, want to help with your stress/anxiety, or want to relieve some body pain the weighted blanket is calling your name. Whatever you choose make sure to take some notes on what you read today to make the best choice for YOU!  

FAQ

Do You Use a Weighted Blanket with a Duvet?

Weighted blankets already carry substantial weight on purpose and should not be used with duvets which typically have a bit of added weight, albeit lighter than the weighted blanket, due to their fillings. If the user requires a heavier feel, we suggest choosing a heavier-weighted blanket or at MOST using an additional light blanket on top. 
 

I Sleep with a Partner, Should I Go for The Wool Duvet or The Weighted Blanket? 

Although the weighted blanket is amazing as well, for sleeping with a partner we would have to recommend the wool duvet. As we mentioned, wool is temperature regulating; but in addition to that it also creates individual climate zones for you and your partner. If one person is hot and the other is cold wool will adapt to each person individually all underneath the same covers!

Which Brand of Weighted Blanket is the Best?

Since weighted blankets have only gone mainstream in recent years there is still not a definitive brand choice for consumers on the market, and the varying specifications of weighted blankets such as weight material, fabric cover, etc. needed for each user make it harder to settle on one specific brand. 

However, there are a few types of weighted blankets that have quickly become favorites amongst the ever-growing fan base of weight blankets. An example of this is theIced 2.0 blanket from Hush, a fast-growing brand that has hugely impacted the transition of the weighted blanket into a mainstream household necessity. 

Hush used a 100% bamboo fabric for this weighted blanket that possesses all the temperature regulating and anti-allergen properties that most people look for in bedding products. All of this added to the therapeutic effects of the weight filling in the blanket and it is easy to see why the Hush weighted blanket is quickly growing in popularity.

Does a Wool Duvet get hot?

Despite initial assumptions people may have wool, wool duvets can provide optimal temperature in the summertime and winter months. Wool regulates temperature to make sure it is always at a comfortable level.

Any other questions? Feel free to shoot one in the chat, our team of experts will get back to you shortly.