Love Letter to My Weighted Blanket + Bearaby Review
A few months ago, I decided to refocus my efforts in reducing my stress and anxiety. I lost track of my self-care routine and it just wasn’t working for me. My good friend came to visit the cabin and brought her weighted blanket, so I tried it out and really enjoyed it… and it felt like the perfect time to try out something new to help me relax! After using it for a few months, I absolutely LOVE it (mine is this one from Bearaby) and wanted to share the benefits with you, as well as answer a few other questions I’ve gotten.
Please keep in mind that this all based on my personal experience and not sponsored in any way. I’m just sharing something I love with you! Also, if you’re concerned, be sure to talk to your doctor before proceeding. This is NOT medical advice.
The Basics of Weighted Blankets & The Benefits of Using One
What is a weighted blanket?
Before we dig into the benefits, let’s actually define what a weighted blanket is! Basically, it is a therapeutic blanket that weighs anywhere between 5 and 30 pounds typically. It is meant to help aid sleep and reduce anxiety because it mimics pressure therapy or even deep pressure stimulation. Typically, they come in increments of 10, 15, 20, and 25 lbs.
The idea of this heavy blanket is similar to weighted vests which is a more widely known and accepted therapeutic technique. The even amount of weight and pressure is distributed across the body. And it mimics the soothing feeling of being held or hugged, which then helps to relax the nervous system.
Literally, using a weighted blanket can increase the amount of serotonin and dopamine in your brain, causing you to feel calmer, less anxious, and able to get better sleep. Pretty cool, huh!
Here are some of the more popular weighted blanket brands:
- Casper: $169-$189
- Bearaby: $199-$399
- Gravity Blanket: $120-$275
- Saatva: $345-$445
- SensaCalm: $99.95 – $114.95
- Layla: $180-$220
My Favorite Weighted Blanket Benefits:
A calming effect for stress, depression, and anxiety
The most noticeable change in how I felt after using my Bearaby Tree Napper is that I felt a lot calmer and less anxious. According to some of the research I read before buying one, the additional weight helps to put your nervous system into a rest mode, which helps counteract anxiety and hyperactivity. I’ve found that it even helps to slow my heart rate when I’m feeling particularly stressed!
Like I said before, a weighted blanket helps to calm the nervous system, meaniung that
Feelings of security and coziness
This is a big one for me. Using a heavy blanket like this is similar to when you were swaddled as a baby. It triggers that feeling of security in my mind and helps me to feel way less anxious. It’s just nice to feel snug and cozy!
Better sleep
I’ve struggled with insomnia for most of my adult life, so I was really interested in exploring those benefits as well. Because the weight helps to calm your heart rate and breathing, you’ll feel more relaxed at bedtime. Research has also shown that this blanket helps you to sleep longer, wake up less often, and just generally have improved sleep.
Frequently Asked Questions about Weighted Blankets:
How to pick the right weighted blanket
I chose to get a Bearaby weighted blanket because my friend recommended it and I felt the fabric in person. I also loved that their website offers a quiz to help you pick the right one. This helped me determine the weight that was right for me. The general rule of thumb for selecting the correct weight based is based on your body weight: it should weigh roughly 10% of your body weight.
Do weighted blankets make you feel hot?
One of my biggest concerns was that a weighted blanket would make me really warm. I’m already a warm sleeper, so I didn’t want to make that worse! I am happy to report that it does not make me feel warmer at all!
The openings between the knit allow area to circulate and your body to ventilate. It really does breathe. Additionally, the type of fabric that the blanket is made of prevents you from getting too hot. For example, mine is made of Tencel extracted from eucalyptus, which is naturally cooling.
Can you wash a weighted blanket?
Depending on the one you get, YES! That’s another reason why I got the one I got. My weighted blanket can be washed on either a delicate or permanent-press setting with a mild detergent. I definitely recommend washing it at a laundromat instead of at home because those machines are more likely to be able to handle the weight.
Some weighted blankets also come with removable covers that can then be washed.
My Thoughts on the Bearaby Weighted Blanket + Review
Now that I’ve shared pretty much EVERYTHING I have learned about them while deciding whether or not to buy one… I want to share my thoughts specifically on the Bearaby Tree Napper. Essentially, I absolutely love it and use it every day, sometimes even multiple times a day. While it can be a pain to lug around a 20 lb blanket between floors in the house, it’s worth it. As soon as I tuck in, I feel a lot calmer.
I also feel like my weighted blanket is really well made. The fabric is soooo soft and smooth and it really keeps it’s promise when it comes to not being too hot. If I do feel cold though, I just add a normal throw blanket on top and that traps in my body height.
I will say that my biggest complain was the cost. I paid $279 for my blanket which felt steep at the time. Now that I’ve found that I really truly love it, though, it feels well worth it. I felt confident in making the decision to buy it because I got to try my friend’s first. That being said, most of the well-known weighted blanket brands (like Mosaic, Gravity, SensaCalm, and Layla) offer extensive trial periods and return periods. That also helped me feel more confident in this investment.
Also, I like that Bearaby has more sustainable practices like biodegradable fabric and is OEKO-TEX® and Fairtrade International certified. To me, that is worth the additional dollars.
At the end of the day, I absolutely love my weighted blanket and highly recommend looking into it for yourself if you are like me and struggle with anxiety, insomnia, and depression. It isn’t an overnight, immediate change, but it is something I do in conjunction with other self-care practices for a more holistic approach.
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So tell me: do you use a weighted blanket? If so, which one is your favorite?? I’d love to know your thoughts! Leave a comment and let me know.
