A couple of years back, I made my own weighted blanket to help with anxiety and the poor sleep that can accompany it. I love it; I love the fabric I picked, it was a fun project with lots of “help” from the dog, and it always helps me stay asleep when I’m having a bad night.

A few months ago, though, it started to bother me. I noticed I wasn’t getting up to use it when I knew I needed to: I toss and turn and my legs get this particular twitchy feeling. I started to ask myself why, and I realized that there were a few things happening. Because I’d made the squares for the plastic pellets I used for weight so big, they would move around when I shifted position. This was a problem because they were noisy, hard to maneuver, and most of the weight ended up puddled at my sides instead of spread over me evenly. This resulted in waking up with sore hips, which is not the greatest thing when your job entails walking all day. I also hadn’t made it long enough because I used the same dimensions as a throw blanket we have instead of actually measuring how long I wanted it. It only reached up to the top of my ribs, so I had to choose whether to cover my feet or my shoulders. And it was hot. I hadn’t really chosen the most breathable of fabrics and having all of the pellets collected in lumps trapped the heat so I’d wake up sweating.

I had two choices: rip out all of the stitching and resew my blanket with a much smaller grid, or buy one. And while I love my blanket, it was a no brainer. It would have taken so long to rip out the stitching; I don’t even want to think about how long it would have taken to resew it. Plus, I couldn’t use it while I was redoing it. And even if the weight distribution was better, that didn’t solve the problem of it not being long enough.

I’ve been following Gravity products since their weighted blanket was on kickstarter, and that’s initially what got me wanting one in the first place. So when I decided to replace mine, that’s immediately where I went. I got the Gravity Cooling Blanket and let me tell you: it is absolutely worth the money. I know it feels like a big chunk of money to cough up for a blanket, but it is so worth every penny. Because the pellets are sewn in such tiny squares, it’s quiet and easy to move underneath. It covers my entire body even if I starfish. And the cover is soooo soft. When I unpacked it I tried it out immediately(obvs), and almost fell asleep even though I wasn’t tired. And the best part? Because there aren’t huge, loud lumps that move and startle the dog, she can cuddle right up next to me in her usual spot.