We live in stressful times, which even affect our children. Many children feel restless and insecure, suffer from nightmares, inner turmoil and difficulties sleeping. A weighted duvet can be a great tool to help children relax, wind down, and improve their sleep quality. Read everything you need to know about weighted duvets or weighted blankets for children below.

How Do Weighted Duvets Work?

The soft embrace of a weighted duvet can make a child feel more at ease and triggers the release of the body's own hormones facilitating a feeling of relaxation and wellbeing. If a child is stressed or suffers from worry or anxiety, a weighted duvet or blanket can help them wind down more easily both in the evening and during the night. The most important benefits of a weighted duvet are reduced sleeping problems and stress as well as worry, and anxiety.

Learn more about the advantages of weighted duvets, the different kinds there are, and how you choose the right model for you and your child.

Research about Children and Weighted Duvets

Research shows that a certain amount of pressure on the skin increases the percentage of oxytocin and serotonin (our "feel-good hormones") in our body, while cortisol levels, the "stress hormone", decrease. This facilitates increased relaxation and deeper sleep, and decreases the time it takes us to fall asleep. Studies which have been carried out to research the subject, indicate that these effects also occur when using weighted duvets, which explains why 9 of 10 CURA duvet users report experiencing better, more restful sleep as well as finding it easier to wind down and relax.

Children with Neuropsychiatric Conditions

In children with neuropsychiatric conditions or neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism and ADHD, sleeping problems are very common. For many years, healthcare professionals have been prescribing weighted duvets to help these children to a more restful sleep. This is also the reason why many existing studies on weighted duvets have investigated their effect specifically on children with neuropsychiatric conditions. Studies have found that weighted duvets are beneficial for these children and can help them to relax, wind down, and get a better quality sleep. A more recent study that has come to the same conclusion, was published early in 2023.

Weighted Duvets for Children Under the Age of 3

Even for babies and toddlers, weighted duvets or blankets can have a calming and soothing effect. However, CURA does not recommend using weighted duvets or blankets for children under the age of three, as it can be difficult for them to remove the duvet or blanket themselves if it should happen to cover their face.

Which Weight is Right for your Child's Weighted Duvet?

When buying a weighted duvet, many people are unsure of which weight to choose to get the best effect. For children, we generally recommend the following:

Age 3-4 years: 3-5 kg duvet
Age 5-6 years: 5-7 kg duvet
Age 7-14 years: 7-9 kg duvet

We recommend a range of weights because there are two factors to consider:

Concerning your child's weighted duvet size, you can generally use the same sizes as for adults, for example, 135 x 200 cm. The effect remains the same which is why specific children's sizes aren't necessary. Since the duvet's weight is distributed over a larger area, a heavier weight might be more suitable to achieve the desired calming effect. The advantage is that the weighted duvet does not need to be replaced as the child grows and gets older, as long as no weight adjustment is required.
Consider the extent of your child's difficulties with winding down, falling asleep, and/or sleeping through the night. If these issues are more prominent, a heavier weight might be needed to achieve the desired effect.

Read more about how to find the right weight for your weighted duvet.

Weighted Duvets During Pregnancy

Many find that pregnancy causes sleeping problems. Some have difficulty sleeping early on in their pregnancy, while others experience bad sleep towards the end. In both cases, a CURA duvet can contribute to relaxation and better sleep. There are no known risks with using weighted blankets during pregnancy.

Machine-washable

All CURA Pearl duvets can be washed in a washing machine at 60 °C. Read more about how to wash your weighted duvets.

Soft and Cuddly Weighted Blankets

In addition to a weighted duvet for every night, a weighted blanket can also enable children to wind down more easily before bedtime. A weighted blanket with a soft, cuddly outer fabric can make for cosy and relaxing evenings on the sofa or in bed – and can also be used by the whole family.