Freak Out February? Not With This Science-Backed, Cozy AF Weighted Blanket That Helps Me Cheer Up, Calm Down, and Mellow Out 

The Only Thing Getting Me Through Winter

The first two weeks of winter are some of the best of the year, and the other ten weeks are downright dismal. I used to try and brush off the depressing nature of winter’s deepest months, chalking it up to a conflation of post-holiday blues and my introverted tendencies. But when a friend suggested I talk to a doctor about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), the results changed my life.

Turns out, I am one of roughly 16 million people in the US who experience the same sorrowful phase… Every. Single. Year. According to the Cleveland Clinic, up to 65 million people “may get a milder form of the winter blues” every year (as in milder than SAD). That’s a lot of cold weather angst. I now consider myself a veteran when it comes to battling low winter moods, and I’m here to put you onto my #1 go-to hack… weighted blankets. And before you start the wild goose chase that is *picking the right  weighted blanket* I’ll introduce my top pick: Bearaby’s Weighted Blankets. 

Who’s Bearaby? (Pause for Applause)

All of Bearaby’s products have at least one thing in common: they feel like an on-demand bear hug (see where the name comes from?). The company was founded with the mission to share restorative sleep with as many people as possible, using ethically sourced, high quality materials, in a format accessible and applicable to everyone: a blanket. That’s right, Bearaby’s first-ever product was a weighted blanket, and it did so well that it won the Red Dot Design Award, Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Award, and was nominated Best Weighted Blanket of 2020 by SleepFoundation.org. 

Soooo they’re kind of a big deal. Since then, Bearaby has broadened the field of sleep accessories with ergonomic, stress-relieving Pillows, small weighted and heated pieces called Warmables, and even Weighted Plushies. So what’s with all this weight, you ask? Part of the reason why Bearaby is so beloved is because their products are designed with the help of science.

Why I Went Weighted

The heft behind a heavy blanket is not just dead weight—it’s an intentional feature included to reap the benefits of Deep Touch Pressure (DTP). This is an official term for the chemical effects prompted by gentle pressure on the body. Similarly to human touch, DTP has been clinically proven to produce hormones that improve your mood, lessen stress and anxiety, and promote deep, restorative sleep (exactly what Bearaby set out to achieve). 

So, weighted blankets are already a good thing. Then, take into account the fact that tons of people are struggling through the depths of winter, and weighted blankets become nearly medicinal. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) suggests light therapy, psychotherapy, antidepressant medication, and Vitamin D as possible treatments for SAD. The chemical imbalances that those therapies target are also addressed by weighted blankets. 

When I started doing this research after my diagnosis, reading this blew me away… The DTP at play in a *good* weighted blanket has been proven to lower cortisol (the stress hormone), increase serotonin (the happy hormone), and regulate the nervous system, which involves our breathing and heart rate. Part of the reason why people tend to experience mood dips during the winter is because there is less sunlight, which means less serotonin production in our bodies. Can you believe a weighted blanket could help you level out that deficiency? I couldn’t, but then I tried Bearaby’s. 

Bearaby Knows Weighted Blankets Best 

So the value of a weighted blanket is clear, but why Bearaby? Because they know weighted blankets best. Their blankets are gorgeous, hand-knit, and highly customizable, with a range of colors, materials, and sizes/weights to choose from. They even offer a quiz to help find the right match for you. That way, you’ll waste no time exploring the website and you can get right down to business (that is, if “business” is calmly lounging with an unprecedented sense of peace and happiness). Here are the options:

1. Cotton Napper ($199-$279): Made with long-staple, Fairtrade Certified Cotton. The Cotton Napper comes in five colors and four sizes.
2. Tree Napper ($279-$289): Made with ultra-breathable, eucalyptus-basedTENCEL™ Lyocell. The Tree Napper comes in nine colors and three sizes.
3. Velvet Napper ($249-$279): Made with plush eco-velvet, which is made from upcycled ocean-bound plastic. The Velvet Napper comes in five colors and three sizes.

I’ve gotta address the price, because it stumped me when I saw it, too. These blankets aren’t cheap, but that’s because they’re a lifetime investment. Rather than spending $50 six times on blankets of shoddy quality, I did the research and decided to go all-in—and I’m so glad I did. The lack of filler material (like beads) means that the weight is evenly distributed and won’t slide around (which was the #1 complaint people had about other brands). Plus, the woven design prevents me from overheating when it’s warm out, which was another common issue people have with weighted blankets. 

I mentioned this before, but it’s worth reiterating in light of the price: Bearaby blankets are made with earth-friendly materials. From the 100% Organic cotton and eucalyptus-based Lyocell to the eco-velvet made from upcycled plastic bottles, Bearaby is heavy-handed when it comes to environmentally sound innovation. Not only are these blankets that feel good—they’re blankets that you can feel good about.

You Know What to Do…

We can’t help how our bodies respond to anything—a change in temperature, sunlight, a turn of events. All we can do is decide how to approach the change. And for me, my Bearaby weighted blanket has been almost a suit of armor, protecting me from the tumultuous months that I’ve always known winter to be. 

As the NIMH puts it, “Both serotonin and melatonin help maintain the body’s daily rhythm tied to the seasonal night−day cycle. In people with SAD, changes in serotonin and melatonin disrupt normal daily rhythms.” No wonder this blanket is my prized possession—it quite literally enables me to keep going. 

Conquer those inevitable winter blues once and for all with one of Bearaby’s award-winning weighted blankets. Can’t wait to say “I told you so!”…