YNM Weighted Blanket review

The YNM Weighted Blanket offers a comfortable way to unwind if you’re looking to beat stress and anxiety, and are looking to enjoy deeper sleep with less restlessness in bed. It sits near the top of our best weighted blankets guide because it's affordable and effective; it gently and evenly applies weight to your body to help settle the nervous system, mimicking the effects of a hug. This is called Deep Pressure Therapy and the YNM blanket offers it at a very reasonable price.

YNM makes several different types of weighted blanket, including knitted, cooling and soft anxiety blankets, and here we are reviewing the brand’s Original Weighted Blanket. Upon first glance this is a simple yet cozy blanket made with a breathable cotton cover and a glass-bead fill sandwiched between layers of polyester fabric. 

The YNM Weighted Blanket comes in a wide range of colors, weights and sizes to suit most people, and it can be used on the sofa for napping and relaxation as well as on your bed to help you sleep more deeply and feel calmer in bed. 

To boost your sleep further, we'd also recommend investing in the best mattress for your body and budget. For now, here's what we discovered when reviewing the YNM Original Weighted Blanket...

YNM Weighted Blanket: Review in brief

The YNM Original Weighted Blanket is ideal if you’re looking for a straightforward, no-nonsense heavy blanket. It’s good to go straight out of the box and has a fixed cotton cover with the micro-glass bead filling stitched securely into the middle layer. These beads are separated into individual sections to ensure the weight is applied evenly across your body, as is needed with this form of Deep Pressure Therapy.

There’s a good range of colors and sizes, with heavier weight options available for co-sleepers. While the YNM Weighted Blanket doesn’t come with a removable cover (YNM sells these separately), it can be used on its own without one. Despite the obvious weight of the blanket, it is surprisingly breathable and the crisp cotton remains cool to the touch even after a nap or a full night's sleep.

The YNM site has over 10,000 user reviews of its blankets, with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. It’s a similar story on Amazon, with equally high ratings on both Amazon US and UK, although the US site has tens of thousands of ratings compared to the hundreds of YNM Weighted Blanket user reviews we found on Amazon UK.

YNM Weighted Blanket: Prices

The YNM Original Weighted Blanket is one of the more affordable options the brand makes, and it's also one of the most competitively priced anxiety blankets in general. On the YNM site, as well as at online retailers such as Amazon and Walmart, the blanket is usually discounted. 

In fact, the best Black Friday weighted blanket deal we've spotted on this one so far reduces the price to $38 (down from $65) in the US, while in the UK it's priced from £45. It's much cheaper than competitor models such as the Gravity Blanket and the Mela Weighted Blanket, and just undercuts the bargain price of the Tranquility Blanket (usually $48.99). 

YNM Weighted Blanket: Sizes, weights

There is a good range of sizes and weights for adult sleepers to choose from, while co-sleepers can share a king size blanket. YNM’s recommendation is to choose a blanket that is 10% of your body weight and then add 1lb. If you aren't happy with the weight when you receive your blanket, then you can return it to YNM and try an alternative weight.  

It’s worth noting that in order for the blanket to effectively distribute its weight over your body, it is not designed to completely cover your mattress like a regular blanket. Pick the size to match your bed size – if your size isn’t available, then pick the nearest size down. 

Remember that the king size blanket is intended for two people sharing a bed, or alternatively, each co-sleeper can have their own single blanket. The YNM Original Weighted Blanket comes in the following sizes and weights:

• Single (48 x 72 inches): 12lbs, 15lbs, 20lbs 
• Double (60 x 80 inches): 15lbs, 17lbs, 20lbs, 25lbs
• King (80 x 87 inches): 20lbs, 25lbs, 30lbs

YNM Original Weighted Blanket: Design, materials

The first thing we noticed about the YNM Weighted Blanket is its overall quality. The 100% cotton cover looks great, and is instantly tactile and cool to the touch. The stitching is neat and secure so there's no danger of the micro-glass beads spilling out. We did notice a few pulls on the fabric here and there though, but at such a cheap price, there isn't much to complain about here.

The blanket is constructed in layers with rustle-free 85% glass pellets and 15% polyester fibre. The stitching is quilted through the layers in approximately 4.5in squares, which form ‘pockets’ that keep the glass beads evenly distributed and secure. 

As with some other weighted blankets, there is no separate cover included in the box, but it does have sturdy fabric loops stitched in so you can securely attach one of YNM’s covers if you want to keep the blanket clean. YNM states that the blanket can be machine washed on a gentle cold cycle, but advises against doing so too frequently, as it can damage the inner layer. We’d prefer to hand wash the blanket as a more gentle way of freshening it up. 

You can use the YNM Weighted Blanket without a cover, and there are plenty of smart designs to choose from, including patterned and reversible dual-color options. Ours was a very luxurious-looking deep blue, which blended in well with our bedroom decor and looked particularly smart on the sofa.

The YNM Original Weighted Blanket is hypoallergenic, with a valid OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification. This means the materials have been tested to ensure they don't contain any harmful toxins. The anxiety blanket also comes in a smart zipped fabric bag, which makes it convenient for storing away when not in use. 

YNM Weighted Blanket: Performance

From the get-go, we were impressed at how easily our experience with this weighted blanket matched YNM’s claims that it ‘recreates the sensation of a hug’ and ‘blocks out stimulation’. We used it in two specific scenarios: first, to help us feel more settled as we drifted off to sleep. Secondly, we used it to feel more relaxed on the sofa after a stressful day, and while having a quick nap. 

In both cases we found the YNM Weighted Blanket very effective. During the day we only needed it for a short while (15-20 minutes) to feel calmer and more settled. While at bedtime, we found that not only did we fall asleep quicker, we stayed asleep for longer and enjoyed deeper sleep. When we did wake up during the night, we managed to get back to sleep quickly. We also noticed that we shifted around less in our sleep and didn't feel as restless as we normally do.

The YNM Original Weighted Blanket never once felt stifling and we didn’t feel overheated either, despite usually sleeping hot under heavy blankets. At bedtime we placed the blanket over our usual duvet, but you can also use the YNM Weighted Blanket by itself or under the duvet. 

Our only gripe is this: if you are after more coziness or warmth, then the crisp cotton cover remains cool and may feel chilly to you, especially on colder evenings. If that’s the case, then you can add one of YNM’s plush covers to change the feel of the blanket. The brand also sells other types of cover fabrics including linen, cotton and bamboo.

In use, the blanket helped us to feel more relaxed, and we loved it at bedtime. If you are looking for a weighted blanket for daytime use, then a lighter weight might be more practical, and can be easily folded to add extra weight if you need it.

Should you buy the YNM Weighted Blanket?

If you’re looking for an affordable way to try out a weighted blanket, then the YNM Original Weighted Blanket is ideal. It’s a well-made and smart-looking accessory for your bed or sofa, and comes in a good variety of sizes, colors and weights. 

It’s easy to adapt with a cover, and while it would have been good to have a cover included for free with the blanket, for such a low price it’s difficult to complain. Check online for discounts on the blanket as well as the covers, as we have spotted this too.

On top of the instant comfort on offer, the YNM Original Weighted Blanket also comes with free shipping and one year’s warranty. Overall, we think this weighted blanket is a solid choice, especially if you're looking for an affordable and soothing way to unwind before bed, and to sleep deeper once you're there.

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