7 weighted stuffed animals adults and kids can use

Chances are you’ve heard about potential benefits of using a weighted blanket. For example, research has found that using one can help decrease both anxiety and insomnia. Looking for something a little lighter, more portable and, let's face it, cuter? Weighted stuffed animals are the answer. Less cumbersome than weighted blankets, weighted stuffed animals offer similar calming benefits and are a great option for kids, although anyone can use them, said Lynelle Schneeberg, a licensed clinical psychologist and assistant professor at the Yale School of Medicine.

SKIP AHEAD Weighted stuffed animals to shop | Benefits of weighted stuffed animals

Select talked to experts to learn what you should know about weighted stuffed animals before buying one. We also rounded up a handful of good options to buy, below.

When shopping for a weighted stuffed animal, experts told us to consider the following factors:

To recommend the weighted stuffed animals below, we found options that align with expert guidance. Each weighted stuffed animal on our list is between 1 pound and 5 pounds, listed in order from lightest to heaviest. Some of the brands offer weighted stuffed animals in dozens of styles, so if you’re looking for something specific — like a certain color or character — be sure to browse the full selections online.

Weight: 1.5 pounds

The 13-inch Warmies Sloth is filled with flaxseed to make for weight and dried lavender to promote relaxation, according to the brand, and you can warm it in the microwave or chill it in the freezer. Warmies’ weighted stuffed animals come in characters including cats, cows, llamas and unicorns and smaller or larger sizes, plus, there are animal wraps and a pair of hugging animals.

Weight: 1.85 pounds

Mickey Mouse is a classic, but Disney fans can shop for weighted stuffed animals shaped like many of their favorite characters including Stitch, Pluto, Pua and Lotso. Mickey is 15 inches long and has a removable weighted pouch.

Weight: 2.96 pounds

This 24-inch weighted dinosaur from Pillowfort, a Target-owned brand, is filled with polyester fabric and has a soft, plush exterior. It meets the Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX, according to the brand, meaning the weighted stuffed animal is free from over 350 harmful chemicals. In addition to the green dinosaur, Pillowfort offers a weighted pink dinosaur, unicorn and cheetah.

Weight: 3.6 pounds

Hugaroo's weighted lamb is 2 feet and 5 inches long, making it the biggest weighted stuffed animal on our list. Designed with a hypoallergenic polyester exterior and filled with plastic pellets, the weighted stuffed animal's outer cover and weighted insert are machine-washable, according to the brand. Huggaroo also offers a puppy weighted stuffed animal.

Weight: 4.5 pounds

Hugimals’ puppy is weighted with a removable pouch of non-toxic glass beads, so you can machine wash the plush cover. Beyond Charlie the Puppy, Hugimals sells three other weighted stuffed animals: Emory the Elephant, Darby the Bear and Sam the Sloth.

Weight: 5 pounds

Pottery Barn Kids’ weighted stuffed animals are the heaviest on our list, at 5 pounds each. The cat plush has polyester faux-fur and is filled with polyester. You can spot clean the exterior as needed, according to the brand. Pottery Barn Kids also offers bunny and dog weighted stuffed animals.

Weight: .5 pound, 1 pound or 3 pounds

If you want a weighted blanket alternative that's not a stuffed animal, Bearaby's Hugget is a weighted knot pillow. It comes in small, medium and large; is made from Melofoam, a plant-based material; and is covered in an organic cotton fabric. Bearaby says you can spot clean and air dry the pillows, which come in five colors: Moonstone Grey, Midnight Blue, Asteroid Grey, Cloud White and Evening Rose.

"Weighted stuffed animals are a riff on weighted blankets," said Schneeberg. They’re stuffed animals or pillows that usually weigh between 1 pound and 5 pounds. They get their weight from a variety of materials — the brand Warmies, for example, fills weighted stuffed animals with dried flaxseed while other brands use layers of fabric.

Weighted stuffed animals are smaller than weighted blankets, so they cover less of the body and you can hold them on your lap or sleep with them (usually with your arms wrapped around them), experts told us. While anyone can use a weighted stuffed animal, they’re geared toward children: Weighted blankets are often too large and heavy for kids to maneuver by themselves, while weighted stuffed animals are smaller, lighter and similar to other toys they may already have at home, Dimitriu said.

Like weighted blankets, the benefits of weighted stuffed animals center around deep pressure stimulation, which uses gentle pressure to induce feeling safe, cozy and calm. "They both provide pressure the same way a hug, massage or baby swaddle would," said Schneeberg. And while people anecdotally say weighted blankets and weighted stuffed animals make them feel less anxious or stressed, as well as help them sleep, "the truth is there is no hard research supporting one or the other. In the end, it's a matter of comfort and personal preference," said Dimitru.

Since weighted stuffed animals are safe, our experts said they’re worth a shot if you’re curious. But when introducing them with children, be conscious of how you do it, said Schneeberg. If kids use weighted stuffed animals to help them fall asleep, for instance, they may become reliant on them at bedtime, which Schneeberg said is called a "sleep onset association." Kids want consistency with their bedtime routine, and a disruption like having their weighted stuffed animal taken away — if it gets lost, for example — may cause them to have trouble sleeping.

Yes, it's safe for adults and kids to sleep with a weighted stuffed animal, as long as they can move it by themselves — for example, a child should be able to pick it up and carry it easily, experts said. One exception is babies younger than 1 year, who should have an empty crib: Do not put stuffed animals of any sort near them, Schneeberg said.

At Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.

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Zoe Malin is an associate updates editor for Select on NBC News.