If you’ve been shopping around for your first weighted blanket, you may have noticed that the sizing is a bit different for full and queen-sized weighted blankets when comparing them to other blankets or comforters you may have bought in the past.
But why exactly are they smaller?
Weight Distribution
In order to feel the benefits of your weighted blanket, it’s important that the extra weight lays over your body. When you lay in bed, you can see how much of your comforter goes unused. With a weighted blanket, that would be a lot of missed opportunities if it were the same size.
Additionally, if you were to have a weighted blanket that was the size of a comforter, there would be extra weight draping over the sides of your bed. You might find yourself wrestling with it throughout the night as the weight pulls it to the ground.
When shopping for a weighted blanket, you should look for one that covers you completely from your torso to your toes, along with some extra wiggle room to keep it comfortably on you.
A Note on Smaller 12-15lb Weighted Blankets
A 48” x 72” 15lb weighted blanket and a 60” x 80” 15lb weighted blanket are actually much different than you might think.
Because of the smaller dimensions of some blankets, a 12lb or 15lb 48×72 inch blanket has less weight distribution than a 15lb 60×80 queen size blanket. Even though they are the same weight, the twin-sized weighted blanket has higher weight concentration and density, providing more weight centralized over different parts of your body.
You can easily tell the difference in weight between a 15lb and 20lb weighted blanket when lifting it up, but when you are under a 15lb weighted blanket with smaller dimensions than a larger queen or king-sized weighted blanket it should feel heavier and place more pressure on your body. When shopping for a weighted blanket, you should definitely take this into consideration.
Standard Sizes of Weighted Blanket by Mattress
A weighted blanket’s size is technically more of a guide to categorize the sizing for shoppers. They are closer to a throw sized blanket than a comforter.
The sizes below are the most common weighted blanket sizing options from most manufacturers. Buying a weighted blanket in one of these sizes makes it easier to understand which blanket is the right size and weight for you. Additionally, you can buy weighted blanket duvet covers from other brands that match your blanket’s size (and loop locations) if you have one of these.
Twin/Twin XL – 48”x72”
There is no standard size weighted blanket for a twin-size bed. Different manufacturers have varying sizes with a width around 40” and a length around 72”. Many people will opt for a “full-size” 48” x 72” blanket for these beds that they can also carry around the house as a weighted throw blanket, and college students love using this size in their dorm rooms.
Double/Full Size – 48”x72” / 60”x80”
48” x 72” blankets are usually marketed as full-size weighted blankets. A full-size, aka double bed, is 54” x 75” so the blanket won’t drape over the sides and should cover the person comfortably sleeping on the bed. Some weighted blanket owners do prefer to have the larger 60×80 inch blanket to have a little extra to wrap around them or cuddle up with.
Queen Size – 60”x80”
This is the most popular weighted blanket size. Generally, they are 60×80 inches. These are the exact measurements of a queen-size mattress, so the blanket will be able to cover the entire top of the bed without hanging off.
King Size – Varies
Standard king-sized beds are 76×80”. A king weighted blanket is designed expecting two people to use it, so they are meant to actually be a little bigger than the mattress, unlike full/queen sizes. There is more of a variation in how big a king-size weighted blanket is between different brands, so finding covers for competing companies can be difficult. That being said, the most common size you’ll find is often 80×86 inches.
With more than one person under the blanket, the extra 6-10” end up covering the sleepers and not hanging off the bed. If you only want to cover one person in a king-size bed, you can always opt for a 48×72” or 60×80” blanket for each person in bed with their own desired weights.