How Heavy Should a Weighted Blanket Be? UK Guide

Aim for roughly 10% of your body weight, and treat 8-12% as the sensible range rather than a single fixed number. The pressure should feel like a firm, reassuring hug - noticeable but easy to move under and easy to throw off. For a 60kg adult that points to about a 6kg blanket; for an 80kg adult, about 8kg. Because most UK brands sell fixed sizes (commonly 5kg, 7kg and 9kg, sometimes 11kg), you will usually be choosing the nearest size to your 10% figure rather than an exact match. The weighted blanket concept comes from occupational-therapy 'deep pressure' practice, which is why the body-weight ratio matters more than the blanket's dimensions.

Buy for the person using the blanket, not the bed. A weighted blanket should cover your body, not drape to the floor like a duvet - excess overhang pulls the weight off you and onto the mattress edges.

The 10% figure is a starting point, not a prescription. Nudge it based on how you sleep:

• You sleep hot: size down. A lighter blanket traps less heat, and many people find the pressure still does its job. Pair it with a breathable, cooling cover if overheating is your main issue.
• You want a deeply grounded feeling and don't overheat: the upper end (11-12%) can feel better.
• You're new to weighted blankets: start lower and see how a week feels - you can always move up, but a too-heavy blanket often gets abandoned.
• Couples: a single shared weighted blanket rarely works, because the right weight is personal. Two separate blankets sized to each person is the usual answer.

Between, say, a 6kg and a 7kg? Default to the lighter one. It is far more common for people to find a weighted blanket too heavy than too light, and a slightly-light blanket still delivers the calming pressure while staying comfortable to sleep under all night. The exception is if you specifically want a very grounded, heavy feeling and know you tolerate weight well - then round up.