After seeing the bedding trend take off, you probably researched if and how weighed blankets actually work (short answers: yes and science). Really though, it's a home decor trend that doesn't take much convincing to get behind; reduce anxiety by cuddling under a blanket? Done. But if the typical quilt-like appearance kept you from ordering one, then the knitted Bearaby weighted blanket will sweep you off your stressed-out feet.
Retailing at $259, the Napper is 20 pounds of stylishly chunky knit blanket that wants to help you sleep better. Unlike popular weighted blankets which get their even weight distribution from inserting materials like glass beads into quilted pockets, the Napper is only made from a vegan yarn blend of organic cotton and Elastane. The yarn itself — woven using Bearaby's unique layering technique — has the ideal, dispersed weight, and gives the blanket its relaxing touch.
"After napping for a few hours under a weighted blanket on a Saturday afternoon, I fell in love with the feeling of sleeping under weight," read a quote from founder Kathrin Hamm on the Bearaby website. "However, when I started to search for high quality weighted bedding, I realized that it just didn’t exist. That’s when the Bearaby journey began."
Still puzzled about how weighted blankets work? Bearaby's design is inspired by Deep Touch Pressure therapy, used to help relieve stress for those with anxiety and sensory disorders. Bearaby's blankets contour to your body, imitating the sensation of being hugged, which in turn increases serotonin and melatonin. Those chemicals help: In an article about the effectiveness of weighted blankets, Psychology Today's Linda Wasmer Andrews cited a 2015 Journal of Sleep Medicine and Disorders study which showed that four out of five chronic insomniacs fell asleep easier and stayed asleep longer under a weighted blanket.
So this means that weighted blankets may be the key to unwinding after a stressful day at work, and Bearaby's Napper is just as pretty as as it is helpful. The blanket's oversized knit is on trend, and you have your choice between six colors: soft pink, dark gray, navy, pale blue, light gray, and white. Because it's not a duvet-style weighted blanket, you can easily throw the Napper on top of your regular duvet (in a complementary shade, of course). The oversized knit also makes the blanket breathable, meaning that when summer starts driving up temperatures, you can just take away your duvet entirely and only use the Napper.
Bearaby isn't just helping the world reduce anxiety through making stylish blankets. The company has partnered with the National Alliance of Mental Illness, and for each blanket purchased, Bearaby will sponsor one hour of the NAMI HelpLine, a free mental health service that provides information and support to those in need.
“Bearaby was born out of the inspiration to bring the benefits of weighted sleep to everyone by creating functional and sustainable weighted bedding that branches beyond blankets,” said Hamm in a press release from the brand. “We’re on a mission to make natural deep sleep an everyday commodity, because we believe better sleeping leads to better living.”
Continue scrolling to explore Bearaby's weighted bedding line, before heading over to the brand's website to pick your favorite colors.
