I tried the $230 BlanQuil Chill, a cooling weighted blanket - it's worth the price for hot sleepers like me
- I need the weight of blankets to fall asleep, but I often wake up sweaty in the middle of the night. The BlanQuil Chill Cooling Weighted Blanket has allowed me to strike a balance and sleep comfortably.
- The BlanQuil Chill uses eco-friendly glass micro-beads for weight and cutting-edge cooling fabric that absorbs body heat.
- At $229.95, the price may seem steep, but it solves such a unique problem that I found it to be worth it.
I love sleep. But sleep doesn't always come easily for me. I sleep hot, and I often wake up sweaty and uncomfortable in the middle of the night. Other people may just throw the blankets off to get some relief from the heat, but it's not so simple for me. I can't sleep at all without piles and piles of blankets. The weight and warmth helps me settle in, so I started looking into weighted blankets to see if I could mimic that feeling without all the bulk. My editor gave me the chance to try this cool-to-the-touch weighted blanket from BlanQuil, and now I can't sleep without it.
Weighted blankets have garnered a reputation as an invaluable sleep aid for those who struggle with insomnia. Many with sensory processing disorders, ADHD, and autism also swear by weighted blankets as a tool to feel grounded, safe, and comfortable as they fall asleep.
As someone who has anxiety, my mind will often race at night, and I'll end up tossing and turning for ages and having lots of restless nights. So even in the dead of summer, I've got sheets, blankets, and quilts galore, and I wrap myself up like a burrito. The combination of these two factors make getting a good night's sleep difficult in the warmer months, but the weighted BlanQuil Chill has been a godsend, allowing me to fall asleep quicker and stay cooler throughout the night.
Weighted blankets are often filled with plastic pellets, chains, or another heavy material - BlanQuil uses eco-friendly glass micro-beads. The calming cocoon effect they create is thanks to something called deep pressure stimulation. It essentially feels like a full-body hug, and causes the brain to release of serotonin and dopamine, two neurotransmitters that help us feel relaxed, calm, and happy. Some research suggests deep pressure touch can also activate the brain's limbic system, which helps us process emotions and fear. Basically, there's a ton of science that says feeling like you're being given a gentle hug is really good for you.
The BlanQuil Chill combines BlanQuil's outstanding reputation for weighted blankets with a cooling cover that wicks away sweat and moisture and absorbs body heat. How the cooling fabric works remains a bit of a mystery to me, but there's no doubt it feels surprisingly cool to the touch. My partner sleeps with one leg outside of the covers, and she appreciates how refreshing the surface of the BlanQuil is against her leg when she's feeling too warm, kind of like holding an ice cube to your neck when you've come back from a run. Plus, the cover is completely removable and washable, so you don't have to worry about spills or sweat buildup.
BlanQuil offers a 15-pound and a 20-pound version - they suggest going for one that's between 8-15% of your body weight.
I've been sleeping with the 15-pound one for the past six months, and I've noticed a huge difference in my quality of sleep. I fall asleep faster, I toss and turn less, and most importantly, I'm less sweaty when I wake up in the morning.
In the winter months, the cooling fabric was actually a bit too strong, and I had to use it on top of my existing blankets otherwise it felt too cold against my skin. But in the summer, I've found it to be most effective just on top of my top sheet. (Yes, I'm one of the few millennials that still uses a top sheet.) I've found the BlanQuil actually stays cooler this way, since it's not in direct contact with my skin, sucking up all my body heat until it's no longer effective.
After a while, the chilling fabric will adjust to your body temperature, so it works best in combination with some kind of fan or air conditioning circulating the air in the room to keep it refreshed.
It reminds me of how you have to hold something glow in the dark up to a bright light to "charge" it. The coolness needs to be "charged," otherwise you could end up a bit sweaty once you fall asleep.
The one downside is that it tends to slip off the bed if you toss and turn in the middle of the night. The cooling fabric has a wonderfully silky texture, but that causes it to have no real grip on the sheets, and once it starts to fall off the bed, the weight of the blanket takes it down. If you're a hot sleeper who doesn't rely on the weight to stay asleep, this may actually be a blessing in disguise freeing you from the blanket once it starts to warm up from your body heat.
BlanQuil also sells their Micro-Plush covers separately for $99, allowing you to turn your BlanQuil Chill into a warm, cozy, and velvety weighted blanket in the winter months. And, this may even solve the slipping-off-the-bed dilemma.
The bottom line
The blanket is pricey at $229.95, but most weighted blankets are. The cooling capacity of this one makes it worth the price for hot sleepers who need some nighttime relief.