Spring might be imminent, but you can still enjoy the comforting benefits of a weighted blanket whatever the weather — so long as you pair it with the right duvet tog. But what are duvet togs, and which one should be used with a weighted blanket?
There's a lot you can do to boost your comfort at night, from spritzing pillow mist to buying the best mattress for your sleep style. However, it's also important to make sure that the tog rating of your duvet (comforter in the US and doona in Australia) is suitable for your bedroom's temperature, especially if you're also using a weighted blanket.
Here we'll break down what duvet togs are and which one you you should use with a weighted blanket for a good night's sleep. We'll also discuss which duvet togs are best for each season and round up the best mattress deals on weighted blankets.
What is a duvet tog?
A tog or TOG is an acronym for Thermal Overall Grade, a unit of measurement which rates how well your duvet can retain heat. In other words, the higher the tog rating, the better it will be at insulating and keeping you warm. Meanwhile, if your bedding has a low tog rating, then it will be lightweight.
When deciding on which tog rating you need, you should to consider what climate you live in, your bedroom's temperature, the current season, and whether you sleep hot or suffer from night sweats. Here's a quick break down of which tog suits each season:
| Season | Tog Rating |
|---|---|
| Spring-Autumn | 10.5 tog |
| Summer | 4.5 tog - 7.5 tog |
| Winter | 12 tog - 15 tog |
What tog is a spring duvet?
For spring and autumn, you'll need a tog that provides a happy medium, so a 10.5 tog duvet should provide enough padded and insulated comfort without being too heavy or stuffy on warmer days. In fact, these kinds of duvets are often called "year-round" duvets, as they can be used in winter and summer months, too.
When picking a year-round duvet, go for a tog that's between 7.5 to 11 tog, with a 10.5 tog duvet usually providing the best balance.
What tog is a summer duvet?
For summer, you'll want lightweight bedding to avoid being too warm, so pick a duvet with a lower tog rating. A 4.5 to 7.5 tog duvet is usually light enough on hot days, but you can go lower if the heat is extreme or you have a tendency to overheat at night. If you are prone to overheating at night, investing in the best cooling mattress can help keep temperatures regulated.
What tog is a winter duvet?
In the colder months, you'll need a duvet with a high tog rating to provide extra warmth and insulation. If you're looking for a traditional winter duvet, a 13.5 tog is ideal . However, a 12 tog should provide enough warmth, while a 15 tog will provide extra insulation and padding for those who live in very cold climates.
What is the highest tog duvet?
The highest tog rating is 15, so any duvet with this rating will provide maximum warmth in the winter months. However, it also means that this duvet would be very hefty, so it may feel too heavy and stuffy for some sleepers, especially if you tend to overheat at night.
What duvet tog do I need with a weighted blanket?
With their gentle, body-hugging pressure and ultra-soft materials, weighted blankets are great for helping you feel relaxed and comforted, meaning they make great sleep companions. However, weighted blankets are heavier than the average blanket, meaning they can make you feel too warm or stifled.
UCLA Health, warns that weighted blankets should be no more than 10% of the sleeper's body weight and are too heavy to be used by young children. The pressure of these blankets also mean that weighted blankets are sometimes seen as wintertime sleep accessories, and are thought to be too warming to be used during spring and summer months.
How to use your weighted blanket in spring
You don't have to put away your weighted blanket on the first day of spring, especially if you find it to be a soothing sleep aid. Instead, you need to make sure that your duvet's tog rating is low enough so it isn't too heavy when paired with a weighted blanket. This means that winter duvet togs (12 -15 tog) should be avoided as the combined of both the weighted blanket and the duvet will feel far too warm and heavy.
Instead, choose a year-round duvet with a tog rating of around 7.5 to 11. This should provide you with enough warmth without feeling overheated and weighed down. Hot sleepers may want to use a summer duvet with a lower tog, however.
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