I Have Anxiety, and This On

Plus, it's quietly on sale right now.

Carly Totten joined Dotdash Meredith in 2021 as an Ecommerce writer. She specializes in curating fashion and lifestyle content for Better Homes & Gardens, InStyle, People Magazine, Real Simple, and Travel + Leisure. Prior to joining the Ecommerce team, Carly contributed wedding planning and style content to The Spruce and Brides, respectively. She earned her roles as an expert contributing writer after spending a decade planning and designing weddings for couples getting married in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs. Highlights: * Began contributing lifestyle content in 2011. * Spent a decade working in the wedding industry as a planner and stylist. * Previously wrote for The Spruce and Brides as an expert.

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Real Simple / Pamela Jew

I’ve dealt with anxiety for almost as far back as I can remember, and my feelings can range from experiencing extra nervousness to wading through full-on panic attacks. Needless to say, my symptoms can run quite the gamut. But after years of practice and plenty of time spent learning about myself, I know which tools to use to help to bring a little relief to even the most trying moments—and one item that I’m so happy to have discovered is this weighted blanket that you can scoop up at Amazon.

Whenever I need to divert my attention away from my worries, catching up on a favorite TV show or digging into a great book are two of my tried and true methods to release some of my anxiety. I’ve found that making the experience even more cozy helps, so I almost always curl up underneath a blanket. Even though I’m partial to the blankets I already own, I have long wondered if a weighted blanket might help more than my go-to favorites. So, when Luna asked if they could send me one of their weighted blankets to try for free, I agreed to put the brand's weighted teddy fleece throw blanket to the test.

Amazon

To buy: $33 with coupon (was $100); amazon.com.

When I was choosing which blanket to order, I was most interested in a throw that I could easily add to my TV watching and reading routines. So, the Luna teddy fleece blanket checked off the most obvious box on my wishlist. The throw is available as a 10-pound 50 by 60-inch blanket or as a 15-pound 60 by 80 inch blanket in up to five colors (I went with the navy). According to the brand's note that they recommend ordering a blanket that's "10 percent of the user's body weight," I should have opted for the larger two–person throw. But the blanket's size and weight felt like too much. So, I went with the smaller, slightly lighter option, and I’ve never questioned my decision.

The blanket features a two-sided design that combines a quilted microfiber and a fluffy teddy fleece. To the average eye, it looks like a typical blanket. And it's even machine washable. But where it differs from anything else that I own is in the interior: It's filled with premium-grade glass beads. According to Luna, the combination of the fabrics and weight should "melt away" stress—and I was eager to see if the blanket lived up to its promises.

Amazon

To buy: $40 with coupon (was $120); amazon.com.

My blanket actually arrived at the end of last summer when extra warmth is typically the last thing on anyone's mind. But chilly air conditioning and a particularly trying few months had left me hopeful about trying something new that might help me to feel calmer. So, that's how I found myself watching TV underneath a 10-pound fleece blanket at the end of August. I never felt too warm. Instead, for the first time in what felt like ages, I was met with an overwhelming sense of peace. In fact, I felt so calm underneath my weighted blanket that I promptly fell asleep.

If you’re hoping to lessen your stress levels or if you’re searching for a new way to combat your feelings of anxiety and panic, I cannot recommend the Luna weighted fleece blanket more highly. I’ve tested it for months, and I continue to pull it out whenever I need to feel an extra sense of comfort and calm. It helps each and every time, and for that reason alone I’m a forever fan of this soft and cozy find.