I used an Oodie weighted blanket for the first time and wish I'd bought one sooner

The warm and comforting blanket will be a permanent addition to my bed throughout the autumn and winter

When I first came across Oodie's weighted blanket, I was intrigued to see if it really would take my sleep 'to the next level' and provide warmth during cold autumn and winter nights. A part of me was reluctant to give it a try, as I did wonder if it would be slightly claustrophobic, however now that I've been using it nightly for over a week, I can confidently say I wish I'd bought it sooner.

Weighted blankets use the scientific principles behind deep pressure stimulation to promote deeper, more restful sleep. The majority of the time I don't have a problem sleeping, but on the odd occasion, I can take a while to drift off or will wake up in the night and lie there tossing and turning unable to go back to the land of nod.

The ultra-soft blanket costs £95 and is available in several colours and three weights - 4.5kg, 6.8kg and 9kg. The weight is dispersed evenly throughout the blanket, so you get even distribution across your body.

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When I first opened the cute bag containing my grey 6.8kg weighted blanket, I was delighted to see and feel how soft the fabric was. I needed a hand to remove it from the bag as it's pretty heavy when folded up, and then I was ready to put it in position on my double bed.

The weighted blanket can be used underneath your duvet so it's directly on your body, but I prefer having the blanket on top of my duvet. That night when I got into bed, the blanket felt a little heavy at first, but by the time I snuggled down to sleep after reading a couple of chapters of my book, my body had become used to the weight which felt warm and comforting.

I drifted off to sleep quickly and found I fidgeted a lot less, prompting me to wake up fewer times in the night. Whenever I woke up to turn over, it was so cosy and relaxing feeling the weight of the blanket on top of me - it felt like I was being hugged.

The blanket is also ideal for use on the sofa while you watch television. It can be placed over you or you can wrap it around yourself like a large cape, but I found it more relaxing when it was loose on top of me.

It's worth noting that the blanket can also be used to help you feel less anxious and more relaxed. As I don't suffer from anxiety, I cannot comment on this aspect of the blanket, however, I can understand how it could help as it really is like a comforting hug when it's wrapped around you or you're lying underneath it.

The only slight downside is the size of the blanket. There's only one size available (198 cm x 121 cm), and although this is wide enough to cover my double bed, it's not quite long enough to cover my whole body.

I like to have the blanket high up so that there's some weight on my chest, but this means my feet poke out at the end. This isn't a deal breaker, though, and if it covered the entire length of my body, maybe it would feel claustrophobic.

The Oodie weighted blanket is going to be a permanent addition to my bed throughout the autumn and winter. I've found it to be more effective than the three ordinary blankets I usually have on top of my duvet combined. It seems I'm not the only one who adores the blanket, with it boasting an overall rating of 4.9 out of five on the Oodie website.

Fancy giving the Oodie weighted blanket a try for yourself? You can buy the grey option here for £95 and can browse the full weighted blanket collection here. There are other weighted blankets on the market, including the Restore by Silentnight Cooling 6.8kg Weighted Blanket which costs £59.99 at Boots. Amazon has a Sivio 7kg Weighted Blanket priced at £69.99.