Weighted blankets, do they work?

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DS(17) is having trouble getting to sleep and is convinced that a weighted blanket will help him get a good nights sleep.

Does anyone have one - do they work, or is it just another gimmick?

I have one and i love it....i like the feel of heavy bedding on me and my weighted blanket feels like ive got loads of heavy blankets on the bed.

Thank you @myusernamewastakenbyme. Do you think it does help you get to sleep (and to stay asleep)?

I steal DS' for a nap sometimes and it's great.

They are brilliant.

Looking positive for weighted blankets so far! Thank you all.

Can anyone recommend any brand in particular?

Yes, I bought one for each of my parents and DD for Christmas as they all have trouble sleeping. All have experienced much improved sleep since then and are having to set an alarm to get up.

I got the ones from Kudd.ly, it should be about 10% of their bodyweight, kuddly do a 9kg, 6kg and a lighter summer one 4kg. They also come with a removable cover, fleecy one side for winter and silky the other for summer.

My 9 yr old loves his and it definitely calms him.

We discovered it by accident one night when he borrowed my oodie (those things are heavy to a 9yr old) and he was still for 10 mins! Lol.

There are a few second hand around if you wanted to try it. Fairly easy to move on if they are no good.

I've got one, and I love it. I also have an old fashioned pure wool blanket that is heavy, but it needs to be a cold night before I can have that on the bed, otherwise I get too warm.

I think it helps me keep more still while asleep, and while getting to sleep, so I sleep better.

Didn’t work for me. I found a heavy quilt was just as good.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09HKHCLZN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

But I got mine lots cheaper.
If it was me and your not sure if itll work, buy the cheapest you can find.

I started with a 7kg and went up to 9kg. I appeared to get too used to the 7kg and could no longer feel the weight.

Didn't work for me. Not at all!

Has he tried other things first i.e. no screens before bed, no gaming or TV in his room, his room is just for sleeping, a regular routine, no caffeine/sugar in the evening or eating late.

I like mine. It's a bit lighter than 10% as I'm quite hefty but it does help.

If he wants a deep dive into sleep stuff, Huberman Podcast.

We bought my Dd age 14 one for her birthday after she was diagnosed with a sensory processing disorder and her therapist recommended it. She has always had trouble settling to sleep. It's amazing. It's like a light switch. She is asleep in minutes. She loves it so much. I can't bear the thought of it but it has done wonders for her

Yes definately...I struggle to sleep if i havent got that weight on me...i only took it off on those ridiculously hot heatwave nights.

I love mine. DS1 has one too. the only thing I would say is make sure you get one with a removable cover, or one that's a "normal" size so you can put a duvet cover on it. Otherwise they are too heavy for most machines so you can't wash them.

I love mine, helps me fall asleep after nights shifts a lot and stay asleep. Also helps greatly with my dodgy joints. I have this one from Amazon https://amzn.eu/d/6vXakob

you can also buy covers for them so easy to wash but a single duvet cover usually fits. Ikea sell the exact so: 150x200

My DH swears by his, and I also love it because he bought a big one, so the excess I roll up like a bolster down the middle of the bed, which means he can't kick me/squash me/steal my duvet!

My DH loves it, he has a much better nights sleep with it.
I tried it the first night, but found it too claustrophobic.
We bought the Koala brand.

Love mine- it’s great for deep sleep…

Such great replies, thank you everyone.

In answer to some of them, yes, I would definitely get one with a removable cover!

DS (usually) stops screens well before bedtime, he gave up all added sugar a while ago, doesn't drink coffee or caffeinated drinks, he does use his bedroom for schoolwork, gaming etc, but there's no way around that.

I did suggest he borrows my sleep spray first to try that, but he didn't seem taken with the idea (I might go and spray it for him anyway, in a moment).

Lots to think about, and good to hear as well a balanced view from those that they haven't worked for.

There is a "Sliced Bread" episode on weighted blankets. I think the verdict was they had no effect on sleep, beyond a placebo effect.

It didn't work for me. It made me feel a bit trapped and even more twitchy as a result. It made me hyper-aware of the sensation of the weight/being held still in a bad way and it gave me that desperate if-I-don't-move-this-instant-I-am-going-to-scream feeling. It's a huge disappointment, as I find a duvet gives me a calming result similar to what others claim they get from a weighted blanket. I had high hopes the blanket would be even better but was very wrong! DD1 is angling for it to be passed her way, but it's unfortunately too heavy for her.

Do you have any spare duvets? It might be worth piling a few of those on him first and seeing if he likes the weight.
I have a quilted bedspread on my bed no where near as heavy as a weighted blanket and I like the extra weight of that too.

It's quite interesting though that a couple of generations (and my GParents still had blankets on their spare bed in the 2000s) after getting rid of proper (heavy) blankets in favour of duvets we are back to using them again.

I have a Koala weighted blanket. I sleep like a log with it, and rarely need the duvet as well, unless it’s really cold. If I’m away, and without it, I don’t sleep half as well.