Weighted blankets are known for their comforting touch, but research suggests these often hefty blankets may offer more than just comfort. Typically made with a soft fabric like cotton, fleece, or flannel on the outside and filled with materials like microglass or steel beads that help weigh it down, these blankets can help reduce certain symptoms of anxiety.

Weighted blankets may offer a number of sleep and mental health benefits, and these may lay in a deeper biological reason. Peter Polos, MD, PhD, FCCP, FAASM, sleep medicine specialist and sleep expert for Sleep Number, says that the relief we get from weighted blankets is biological—we feel more comfortable with added body warmth and weight.

If you’re looking to experience the benefits a weighted blanket can offer, you should keep a few things in mind during your search. Weighted blankets are typically sized differently than regular blankets and should weigh about 10 percent of your body weight, but Dr. Polos notes that anywhere between 5 percent and 12 percent will work.

To find the best weighted blankets, the Health team tested 34 of the top products on the market in our lab, looking at quality, comfort, warmth, ease of cleaning, and how the blankets measured up to manufacturer measurements for weight and size. We also had a sleep expert/pediatrician on our Medical Expert Board review this article for medical and scientific accuracy.