Can the mat be used as a cover with the same benefit as a mat?

If you do not have any contraindications you can use the mat as a cover. It maybe a little heavy and uncomfortable in the beginning but as soon as your body gets used to the crystals’ pressure it should be fine

Really the mat is thick and stiff, the best way to use is to lay on the mat with some flat base beneath it like bed, sofa, or even floor.

Some customers even use two mats to be sandwiched between them for very intensive  procedures.. Of course this is not recommended for beginners.

We also have 2 types of thin, flexible FIR heating pads with crystals and stones,

1. Flexible Bendable Thin Tan Croco ThermoGem style FIR Heating pads come with approximately 50-60% of tumbled natural amethyst crystals and 20-25% of each natural (non-ceramic) black tourmaline and green jade, all completely visible and affixed without glue with a special mesh fabric by our artisan sewing method. These pads have also several lines of 1.2” (28-32 mm) ceramic tourmaline hexagons of the famous Korean NightShine brand.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076628T2J

2. Flexible Bendable Thin 3 Gems pads in Tan Croco PU-Leather. These FIR pads are built with very special jade, tourmaline, and bian-stone (sibin pumice ), in 1"- 1 1/4” (25-30 mm) dome shaped disks, also affixed without glue with special mesh fabric.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07661RXNX

Both types are available in large size, 24” by 72”, which may also be used as a mat, and medium size, 20” by 32”, to be used as a cover or to focus heat on local areas.