Weighted blankets fall under the “you won’t believe it until you try it” category of products. That’s because they are quite different from our conception of what a blanket should be like, and the benefits they bring to the table may seem odd (at least for a blanket).
One of the market’s best-selling blankets is made by one of the most respected mattress manufacturers: Nectar. But what does the Blanquil quilted weighted blanket actually do? I had to test it for myself to see.
A Deeper Look
The Nectar Blanquil weighted product is the kind of purchase that you will only make once you have fully understood the general benefits of this type of product. When you first check out the price of a product like this, you’ll probably think “Will this wash my socks, as well?”.
Weighted blankets have never been cheap, and if they are, they’re probably low-quality or have some odd fillers, such as dehydrated corn or pasta (yes, there really is such a thing as a weighted blanket filled with pasta). Anyway, it’s something you won’t be using on the long run.
However, the statement “knowledge is power” has never been truer, so today we aren’t just going to talk about how awesome the Nectar Blanquil is. We are going to underline the main benefits of a weighted blanket, and see if the Nectar checks all the items on the list.
Pros:
- Half weighted blanket, half quilt.
- Designed to recreate a hug.
- Reduces stress and anxiety levels.
- Suitable for multiple medical conditions.
- Reduce the time required to fall asleep.
- Helps with insomnia.
- Soft to the touch.
Cons:
- Might be too heavy for children.
- Only available in a single weight option.
- Suitable for a single adult.
Specs Overview
When it comes to the technical specification of the Nectar Blanquil, there isn’t that much to point out, really. It’s available in a single color, just one size, and one weight option. However, as you’ll come to see for yourself in the following paragraphs, there’s an entire science behind every feature developed, as all of them put together are looking to increase the quality of your sleep.
As mention, the Blanquil is available in a single size, and can only cover one child or one adult. However, since the total weight of the blanket is 20 pounds, it may not be all that suitable for children. In other words: unless your child suffers from a condition that requires a deeper investment in their sleeping habits (more on that, later in the article), you might be looking for a regular blanket. As a general note, if your child suffers from any condition that requires a weighted blanket, consult with their doctor for more information.
Otherwise, if you are an adult that can handle the weight of the Blanquil, you really don’t have anything to lose (well, except for money maybe, but considering the benefits, we wouldn’t exactly call it a “loss”). The dimensions of the Blanquil are 47 x 74 x 1 inches, which is just the right size for a full-grown adult.
Materials
Whenever you have to buy new bedding items, always pay close attention to the fabrics and materials used. They can give you a lot of hint on how the quality of the product it feels like. Sadly, the Nectar Blanquil is only available in a grey option. But there’s really no stopping you in using the Blanquil with a duvet cover, so go for it if you have other color tastes.
The outer cover is made from polyester velvet, resulting in a product that’s soft and caressing. This feature is really important for everyone that doesn’t plan on using a cover, as this is the fabric that rubs directly on the skin, so it has to be one that your body feels comfortable with. The lining is made from polyester, while the fill is polyester batting.
The inner blanket is another story. If the quilted cover was all about polyester, the cover of the inner blanket is made entirely out of cotton. If you’ve been paying attention to any of our articles so far, then you know how we feel about cotton.
It’s the kind of fabric that you can’t go wrong with. It’s breathable, durable, and extremely reliable. Oh, and moisture-wicking, let’s not forget about that. Inside the blanket lie a number of silicon dioxide beans.
Deep Pressure Touch Therapy
The weight of a weighted blanket is one of its most important features. A great proportion of the weighted blankets that are currently available on the market have a weight between 5 and 30 pounds. In general, adults feel most comfortable when the rest under a weighted blanket that’s around 10 percent of their own body weight.
As a consequence, a lot of manufacturers create these blankets with different weight options, but there are products, like Nectar, which prefer the one-size-fits-all type of approach. Nectar has created the Blanquil to be about eight to fifteen percent of your body weight, which basically covers the market’s ideal proportion.
But here is where Blanquil starts to get real serious about what it has to offer. They market a concept which is referred to as Deep Touch Stimulation. This means that the blanket is looking to “push your buttons” that trigger the same feeling you have when you’re being hugged.
As cheesy as it may sound, looking at things from a logical point of view, it makes sense. When you’re hugging or being hugged, there is a certain sensation that you have in your body, causing the body to relax and the brain to send happy signals throughout the rest of your body.
The whole concept of Deep Touch Stimulation is meant to reduce your anxiety levels, causing you to achieve the happiness that’s similar to the one you get when making actual human contact.
Anxiety & Stress Reduction
Nectar puts a lot of emphasis on this general feature of weighted blankets, promising that their product does the same. In case you’re wondering how this work, let me explain it briefly.
Weighted blankets can reduce your cortisol levels, thus making you feel more relaxed. Cortisol is also known as the stress hormone, and it’s typically released when we are stuck in unpleasant situations.
Cortisol isn’t exactly your enemy, but when it haunts your nights, it prevents your body from producing a sufficient amount of melatonin, which prevents you from falling asleep.
And speaking of melatonin: did you know that this is a natural hormone released by the body which helps you prepare for sleep? Typically, a body’s melatonin levels are low during the day, and more elevated as night time approaches.
If your body doesn’t secrete sufficient melatonin, it won’t prepare for nap time. A weighted blanket promises to help people that suffer from insomnia, by improving the quality and the length of a person’s sleep.
Even more, information suggests that grounding can help secrete more dopamine and serotonin, which are known as the happiness hormones. When our bodies are high on serotonin and dopamine, we tend to feel happier, more relaxed, and our oxytocin levels also increase.
Deeper Sleep
We’ve always known that a good mattress can change the way you sleep. But having a blanket that revolutionized everything you thought you knew about bedding items? With the Blanquil, you can now get into that deep sleep state, but the benefits don’t stop there.
A product like Blanquil can actually help people with insomnia. Because of the heavy fill, a weighted blanket can prevent people from sleepwalking, like the pressure, it exerts on the body doesn’t make getting out of bed involuntarily that easy.
But the true benefit that we have to underline here is the one that works together with anxiety reduction. As the Blanquil blanket puts you in a state of calm and peace, you will tend to have a deeper sleep.
Who Should Buy It?
Personally, I use weighted blankets to help calm my anxiety and aid me in falling asleep sooner, as well as staying asleep longer. This particular model definitely did that.
Weighted blankets such as the Blanquil by Nectar are suitable for a lot of different situations but are particularly designed for people who have trouble sleeping, or those that feel that there’s still room for improving their sleep quality. Because they bring a huge number of benefits to the table, they can be used even in the most particular of cases, such as:
- People that suffer from ADHD have a short attention span, but also trouble in focusing. Consequently, this can reduce a person’s academic performances, as well as cause trouble in the workplace. However, ADHD is a condition that affects mostly children, so how do you put them into a more restful sleep state? A weighted blanket that’s used correctly can “force” the child into a deeper state of calm, which can eventually sharpen their concentration capacity.
- ASD, which is short for “autism spectrum disorder” is a condition that can affect a person’s serotonin and melatonin secretion. The end result is a failure to fall asleep or failure in maintaining sleep. Sleep difficulties are linked with anxiety, another issue that the Blanquil promises to help its buyers with.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD, is another condition that can affect your serotonin secretion. It’s no secret that stress is a very common occurrence in people that suffer from PTSD, so why not give the Nectar blanket a shot, especially when everything else fails?
Customer Opinions
Sleep Quality
The Blanquil does its job, there’s no doubt about that. In an almost unanimous voice, customers have spoken about how this blanket makes them feel relaxed and safe. As buyers have suggested, the blanket does manage to reduce anxiety and stress levels but also induces sleep shortly after they went to bed. According to several testimonials, it takes an average of 10 to 15 minutes for a person to fall asleep under the protection of the Blanquil.
For me, it took a little longer. About half an hour, but that’s a huge improvement compared to my usual two hours without a weighted blanket.
Price
Customer opinions on price are quite divided. A lot of people think that this Nectar weighted blanket is expensive considering that it’s just a blanket, but they do praise the benefit that comes together with this spicy price tag. Since the value of a product is always a subjective issue, it’s always recommended to stay within your initial budget, so that you can avoid price-related frustrations.
For me, it’s an investment in my health, so the price was something I was okay with.
Weight
Oddly enough, there are quite a number of people that complain about the weight of the Blanquil, even though it is, after all, a weighted blanket. The numerous complaints about the product being too heavy are an indicator that with weighted blankets, it’s all about testing.
I tested a 15lb blanket but probably would have been better with a 20lb. Still, the 15lb was a great weight for naps.
Quality
Buyers that have tested the Blanquil can agree on the fact that, at least in terms of quality, this blanket is “rock” solid. The quilted fabric is very soft and pleasant to the touch. Another important thing to mention at this point is that customers that have used the Blanquil for quite some night now, state that the quality is the same as in day one.
I honestly think the quality of this one is amazing. I’ve tested a few models now and this one is high on the list. The soft feel, sturdy seams, and the thick fabric are great.
You may be interested in: Nectar Quilted Weighted Blanket Review
Conclusion
There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the idea of weighted blankets. The entire concept of sleeping under something heavy to help you feel more relaxed doesn’t really make much sense when you first hear about it.
However, my experience is that they’re amazing. As someone who suffers from high anxiety, I rely on mine every day. I highly recommend them to anyone else who does or deals with poor circulation, or other medical issues that affect sleep.
The Nectar Blanquil weighted blanket is the kind of product that you have to test for yourself to truly understand the benefits. As long as you can overcome the price barrier, it’s really all about the benefits. It’s a wonderful product for a wide category of sleepers. If you have trouble falling or staying asleep, and you’ve tried everything else to no avail, why not give this product a shot? Who knows, it might just surprise you..