FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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General Questions
All about weighted blankets and how they work
Materials & Manufacturing
All about our materials and how our weighted blankets are made
Nappers & Napplings
All about our chunky-knit, weighted blankets
Sleepers
All about our innovative weighted comforter
Care Instructions
How to wash and care for your Bearaby weighted blanket
Payments & Shipping
What to expect with shipping or returning your weighted blanket
General Questions
Science shows that sleeping under weight improves sleep quality, lowers stress, and eases anxiety – and when those things are better, everything’s better!
Here’s a breakdown of the science that lies underneath our cozy and calming Nappers:
- Activates the effects of Deep Touch Pressure (DTP)
- Increases serotonin to make you feel happier and more content
- Increases melatonin to lull you into blissful slumber
- Decreases cortisol to help reduce anxiety and stress
- Mimics the effects of ‘grounding’ or ‘earthing’
- Mimics the sensation of a warm hug
If you’re looking for more information, read our deep-dive into how do weighted blankets work.
The most significant health benefits of weighted blankets include improved sleep and reduced feelings of anxiety and stress. Many people with autism, fibromyalgia, post-traumatic stress disorder, restless leg syndrome, or sensory processing disorder have found sleeping under weight benefits their health.
If you’re curious about the science behind how weighted blankets ease anxiety, the simple explanation is that DTP helps your body naturally produce more serotonin (our happy hormone) and melatonin (our sleepy hormone) while at the same time curbing high cortisol (our stress hormone) production. Studies show that sleeping under weight cues the therapeutic effects of deep touch pressure (DTP), which leaves us feeling calmer and more relaxed.
Many people found using a weighted blanket for restless leg syndrome beneficial. The evenly distributed weight of our filler-free Nappers effectively cue the therapeutic effects of deep touch pressure to help treat this restless condition.
Most conventional weighted blankets aren’t particularly good for the environment. They’re primarily made from synthetic materials and filled with plastic pellets that weigh the material down. This not only makes them hot and uncomfortable but, most critically, terrible for our planet. At the end of their lifecycle, they’ll sit in landfills and never decompose. But not a Bearaby blanket.
Unlike conventional weighted blanket designs, we don’t use artificial fillers or plastic pellets to make our weighted blanket, only layer upon layer of our patented weighted yarn. Nappers are hand-knit from sustainably sourced plant-based fabrics to create a breathable weighted blanket, naturally bringing about better sleep and more calm.
Besides being awarded a coveted Red Dot Award for Product Design, another stand-out feature of our Napper is that they look just as good as they feel. Because self-care is something to be celebrated, we designed a weighted blanket that complements your couch – getting better sleep doesn’t have to mean compromising on style.
We found a way to layer organic cotton into a soft and chunkily firm yarn. We developed an innovative approach to building weight by hand-knitting layers to create the same amount of weight as traditional fillers, but more responsibly and effectively. It’s a technique that’s never been used before, and we even have a patent for it!
The knitted design, besides looking beautiful, actually serves an essential purpose. This innovative design allows for even weight distribution over your body and air to circulate in and around the weaves. So you can rest assured you’ll never feel overheated while you sleep, a common complaint from those using traditional weighted blankets.
If you’re using a weighted blanket for the first time, it’s important to allow your body to ease in and get used to the weight softly. We recommend using the Napper for less than 2 hours during the first three days. Listen to your body as it gradually adapts to the weight. It can sometimes take up to 10 days to fully adjust to sleeping under weight.
In general, it takes around three weeks to form a new habit, and the benefits of natural, deep sleep should build as you begin to form a routine and develop a sleep schedule.
The recommended weighted blanket weight is 10% of your body weight. Our Nappers are available in 10, 15, 20, and 25 lb weight options. To help you determine the weighted blanket weight best suited to your wellness goals, take our handy quiz.
For children, we recommend a weighted blanket that’s around 15% of body weight. Our weighted blanket for kids, the Nappling, is available in 6 and 8 lb weight options. If you need help finding out which weight is right for your child, take our short quiz.
Weighted blankets can help treat some common sleep disorders but sleeping under weight is not recommended for people with pre-existing medical conditions such as sleep apnea. Some of our customers with such conditions reported discomfort while sleeping under weight. If you have serious medical conditions, it is best to check in with your doctor.
We offer a 30-day return policy to allow our customers the flexibility to try our blankets and find what works best for them.
When it comes to the quality of our materials and the people involved in hand-crafting our products, we have a ‘no compromises’ policy and don’t offer any discounts. We use only the best organic materials, practice sustainable, closed-loop manufacturing, and pay everyone involved fairly and promptly. This way, we’re offering our Napperhood community high-quality products made to last.
We do offer a payment plan through Shop Pay and Affirm that allows you to split your purchase into monthly installments at no additional cost or interest. We also offer free shipping throughout the contiguous US.
The short answer is, maybe! There are a lot of nuances to insurance policies in general, and the topic of weighted blanket coverage is no different. It often depends on what state you live in, what type of insurance you have, and the medical equipment it covers. Check out our blog post Are weighted blankets covered by insurance? for more guidance.
Yes! When packed into its duffel bag our Travel Napper measures 20” x 10” x 10” – the perfect size for carry-on luggage. Our 10 lb Travel Napper is a filler-free travel weighted blanket that, unlike many other weighted blankets, doesn't contain plastic pellets or beads, so you don’t have to worry about fillers in your blanket causing any delays as you make your way through airport security checks.
It’s safe to share your Napper with your pet but never let your fur baby bury itself under a weighted blanket unsupervised or unattended. The full weight of your Napper could be too heavy to absorb on its own, especially for a small or mid-sized pet, so make sure you’re keeping an eye on any four-legged family members cuddling with your Napper.
Because our Nappers are hand-knitted with open loops that allow a constant supply of air flow, there is minimal risk of suffocation even if your dog accidentally gets stuck underneath one of our weighted blankets. Also, because our Nappers get their heft from fabric layers, should your pet decide your Napper looks like a comfy new chew toy and accidentally damages, there are no small beads or plastic pellets that can spill out and pose a choking hazard.
Yes, you can head over to any Nordstrom location listed here to experience our Cotton Nappers in real life.
Our Cotton Napper, Travel Napper, and Nappling are made from organic sustainably farmed cotton and are also MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX certified.
Our Tree Napper is the ideal weighted blanket for hot sleepers. It’s made from Lyocell, better known as Tencel, a sustainable fabric made out of wood pulp from trees that are grown and replaced on specialized tree farms in Austria in a sustainable process. The process uses ten times less water than conventional fabrics! Our Tencel comes from eucalyptus wood pulp, making it extra cooling and completely biodegradable.
Our organic cotton is sustainably farmed in India. We’re committed to using 100% organic cotton because it makes a better life for the people who grow it and makes a better product for the people who use it. It also saves 90% of the water used in conventional farming methods.
We also use third-party verification to ensure that our raw materials meet international standards for organic farming. Our Cotton Napper, Travel Napper, and Nappling are made from organic sustainably farmed cotton and MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX, as well as Fairtrade International certified.
Our Tree Nappers are made of Tencel, a soft and sustainable fabric made out of wood pulp, which is sustainably milled in Austria.
Our sustainable materials are spun into our patented yarn and knitted into blankets in thoughtfully selected South Asia locations – with the majority knitted in India. We also note the manufacturing place on the label of each Napper.
All our products are hypoallergenic and carry OEKO-TEX certifications – this means none of our products contain any harmful substances, artificial chemicals, or pesticides and are produced in environmentally friendly facilities.
We’re proud to say Bearaby is a zero-waste company. We’ve committed to a zero-plastic production line from the start, which means you won’t find any plastic wrapping or excess packing materials coming to your doorstep when you order one of our weighted blankets.
We’re doing our part by eliminating single-use plastic and only shipping our Nappers to customers in 100% organic cotton bags, rather than using environmentally harmful and non-recyclable plastic packaging. These linen bags are designed to be reused and repurposed.
All of our Nappers are hand-knitted, so both size and weight can vary slightly. Our Napper is designed for a single person, and depending on the weight of the blanket, the dimensions are:
10 lbs - 40” x 64”
15 lbs - 40” x 72”
20 lbs - 45” x 72”
25 lbs- 48” x 72”
It’s simple: if you like it cozy, usually don’t get overly hot at night, share the bed with a furry friend, and you want a Napper you can use all year round – the Cotton Napper is for you.
If you tend to sleep hot and often find yourself waking up feeling a bit sweaty every night – the Tree Napper is your new best friend.
Our original knitted weighted blanket is made from organic, sustainably-farmed cotton. Our cooling weighted blanket is made of Tencel, a fiber made from the wood pulp of trees grown and replaced on specialized tree farms. Our Tencel comes from eucalyptus wood pulp, making it extra cooling and completely biodegradable.
On our blog, you can read more about the cool benefits of the tree-fabric Tencel.
We steer clear of using any artificial materials, and all our blankets have an open-looped design to increase airflow, making all our Nappers 100% natural and breathable.
Because Tencel is slightly more cooling than Cotton, we usually say that our Tree Napper is perfect for Tree Napper is perfect for hot sleepers. Our Cotton Napper is a better fit if you’re looking for something a little more cozy but still breathable.
Our Nappers can be used both day and night, whatever works best for you! We’ve been fortunate to get some great reviews from our customers that use it in bed every night and from fans who just use it on the couch as a naptime buddy.
In bed, try and layer your Napper on top of a thin sheet or comforter for extra warmth.
For adults, we found the 10% body weight rule generally applies, but when it comes to children, studies show that between 10–30% of body weight is preferred. Many young children gravitate towards a higher blanket weight. See what your child feels comfortable with, and increase the weight if it feels right.
Our Nappling is available in 6 and 8 lbs. If you need help finding out which weight is right for your child, take our short quiz.
Using a weighted blanket for a toddler poses safety risks and we do not recommend using our weighted blanket for children younger than four years old.
Yes, your Nappling was hand-knitted with love and is machine washable! We recommend that you wash it separately in cool water, selecting either the delicate or permanent-press cycle. You should then tumble dry the Nappling on low heat. Use a gentle detergent and best to avoid fabric softener or any bleach.
Weighted blankets are safe for children aged four years and older. Using a weighted blanket for a toddler or a baby poses safety risks and we do not recommend using our weighted blanket for very young children.
Kids can use weighted blankets in a variety of ways:
- During nap time
- During night time
- Draped over his/her lap when doing homework
- Pull out a Nappling when your little one needs some downtime – Napplings pair great with a book on the couch!
Read our helpful article on how to use a weighted blanket for kids for more detailed information.
We recommend using a weighted blanket with your child gradually and helping them to understand what the pressure feels like, little by little. Try it on their lap during storytime and explain that the blanket helps the mind calm and the body relax. During bedtime for the first few nights, you can start with the blanket on their legs only to help them get used to it. Over time, cover their body up to the shoulders, and their sleep quality will hopefully improve.
Read our helpful article on how to use a weighted blanket for kids for more detailed information.
If your child tends to be a sensory-seeker and has difficulty sleeping, a weighted blanket can be the perfect tool to help them calm down and naturally find better sleep over time.
Here are a few things to look for when considering using a weighted blanket for kids:
- Loves sleeping or lying under piles of blankets or heavy comforters
- Enjoys crawling into tight spaces or behind furniture
- Has difficulty relaxing and sitting still – even after a lot of physical activity
- Has difficulty focusing or attending to a task
- Likes to play rough, sometimes crashes into things on purpose, always jumping on the couch or bed
- Can be described as very physical or “wild”
Medical scientists generally recommend to follow the 10% rule, where the Sleeper weighs 10% of your body weight. However, there are also other factors to consider, such as sleep history and lifestyle factors. To make it easier, you can go to the Sleeper product page and try our simple questionnaire, “Which weight is the right for me?”(below Select weight).
The Bearaby Sleeper has explicitly been made to fit the individual’s size, not the bed size, so they’re a little bit smaller than regular comforter sizes – this is to maximize the weight’s medical benefits. The Sleeper is designed to not hang over the bed’s edges to optimize the Deep Touch Pressure (DTP).
Twin 54' × 78' - 15, 20, 25 lbs
Queen 74' × 78' - 20, 25 lbs
King 94' × 78' - we have three customized King Sleepers - 15-15, 15-20, and 20-20. All our King Sleepers have zippers in the middle and can be unzipped to use as two separate Sleepers.
Traditional weighted blankets and comforters are filled with small plastic beads to make the blankets heavy, making them hot and uncomfortable. We’ve designed the Sleeper with highly breathable materials, including Tencel and glass beads, not plastic or artificial fillers. To maintain a perfect sleeping temperature, we’ve incorporated unique airflow channels to keep air circulating.
No, but we do have some gorgeously soft, custom-made covers that fit snugly around our Sleepers. We call them Sleeper Covers. They’re straightforward to change, as they come with a 360° zipper and four corner ties to keep the blanket in place. Trust us – it’s revolutionized the task of changing the sheets!
Sleeper Covers are the Bearaby version of a duvet cover set. Our Sleepers are a little bit smaller than regular comforter sizes – this is to maximize the weight’s medical benefits. So Bearaby’s Sleeper Covers perfectly fit The Sleeper and are custom designed to enhance your weighted sleep experience. The four extra-strong corner ties keep The Sleeper in place for even weight distribution, while the 360-degree zipper makes it easier to change the cover.
Yes! Our Sleepers are a little bit smaller than regular comforter sizes, but most of our customers simply use their existing duvet covers on the Sleeper, and the slight difference in size doesn’t bother them. We also make a specially designed cover set for the Sleeper, which comes with four sturdy corner ties to hold your blanket in place and a 360° zipper to make it easy to remove. It’s silky soft but also enhances breathability. You can find our Cover Set here.
For couples, we recommend the King-size Sleeper with the 2-in-1 feature. You can unzip the Sleeper and use it as two individual comforters or keep it zipped for one large shareable Sleeper. It also comes in three different weight categories, so each sleeper can select the weight that is right for them to get the maximum personalized medical benefits.
Yes, our weighted comforter, the Sleeper, can be used instead of a regular comforter - most of our customers do just that. We also have people who prefer to use the Sleeper on top of their existing comforters for some extra warmth.
No, inside our Sleeper, you’ll only find glass beads, which provide an evenly dispersed weight. The comforters are 100% vegan - meaning there is no down or another type of feather fillers inside. We’ve also used a wonderfully soft, highly breathable plant-based fabric called Tencel to make our weighted comforters. To maintain a perfect sleeping temperature, we’ve incorporated unique airflow channels to keep air circulating.
If you are washing a Cotton Napper, Travel Napper, Tree Napper, or a Nappling, here are a few important do’s and don’ts for machine washing:
- Wash separately in cold water
- Select the delicate or permanent-press cycle
- Use only gentle or mild detergent
- Avoid using fabric softener or bleach
- Tumble dry on low heat – please note it may take more than one round for your Napper to dry completely
- Never hang your Napper up to dry – it’ll stretch out the lovely loops!
Make sure to check your washing machine’s weight capacity because while our delightfully heavy blankets are great for deep sleep, it’s essential to check beforehand if the washing machine and tumble dryer model you have can bear the full weight of your blanket.
Read more: How to Wash a Weighted Blanket
If you have a Velvet Napper we recommend dry cleaning to ensure the delicate eco-velvet fabric stays wonderfully soft and in tip-top shape for many naps to come.
If you have a Cotton Napper, Tree Napper, Travel Napper or Nappling, we recommend tumble drying on a low heat, keeping in mind that it may take two or more drying cycles to dry it out completely.
Never hang your Napper up to dry – it’ll stretch out all those tightly woven loops.
If you have a Velvet Napper we recommend dry cleaning to ensure the delicate eco-velvet fabric stays wonderfully soft and in tip-top shape for many naps to come.
We recommend using Sleeper Covers or a regular duvet cover so that you don’t need to wash your Sleeper comforter too often. When it’s ready for a clean, wash your Sleeper separately in cold or lukewarm water, on a delicate or gentle cycle. If you bought the 25-pound Sleeper, consider taking it to the professionals so you don’t cause wear and tear on your washing machine. It’s also best to avoid a hard spin cycle.
The Sleeper can also be tumble-dried on a low setting, laid out flat to dry, or draped over a very sturdy surface. The King Sleepers can be unzipped and washed separately. For the King version, you can unzip and wash both halves separately on a gentle cycle.
The Sleeper Sheets can be washed in lukewarm water (up to 40°C) on a gentle cycle.
Fast Shipping is FREE across the contiguous U.S. and takes 6-10 business days. You can also choose to pay an additional fee to get Faster Shipping, which takes 3-5 business days, 3-Day Shipping, or Standard Overnight Shipping - all handled by FedEx.
Unfortunately, we do not offer free shipping to Hawaii and Alaska. For shipments to those states we offer FedEx Ground Home Delivery, which typically takes 4-5 business days. Business days are Monday – Friday, excluding public holidays.
For Canada, we offer FedEx Economy and Priority Shipping. Prices will vary based on your location.
We only sell and ship within the US and Canada at the moment.
One of our trusted retail partners, Nordstrom, offers international shipping of our Cotton Napper collection.
We can help you change the shipping address as long as your item hasn’t been shipped yet. Please contact us at [email protected] in order to get this changed.
We understand that sometimes things don’t work out as planned and that’s why we offer a 30-day return window. Provided you haven’t washed your item yet, and your shipping address is within the contiguous US you can return your item. Once we receive the returned item, we inspect it and process your refund.
To start a return click here.
We charge a processing fee of $14.99 USD when returning a Napper or Nappling, and $19.99 USD when returning a Hugger. Please note that gift cards are not exchangeable for cash value and are nonrefundable.
Once your return is processed, we will initiate a refund automatically to your credit card (or original method of payment). Partial refunds will be initiated in case the item is damaged, washed, or stained. Credit will be received within 15 days, depending on your card issuer's policies.
Please keep in mind that we charge a processing fee of $14.99 USD when returning a Napper or Nappling, and $19.99 USD when returning a Hugger. This charge helps us cover the inspection and processing fees at our warehouse and fulfillment facilities.
We understand that sometimes things don’t work out as planned and that’s why we offer a 30-day exchange window on all our products. Provided you haven’t washed your Napper yet, and your shipping address is within the contiguous US you can exchange your purchase for a different item – please click here to request an exchange
Please note that the S’well x Bearaby bundle is not eligible for exchanges or returns.
Both shipping and return shipping are free, but in the case of a returned product, we do charge $14.99 USD when returning a Napper or Nappling, and $19.99 USD when returning a Hugger. This charge helps us cover for the inspection and processing fees at our warehouse and fulfillment facilities.
Like a normal order, you are also eligible for free returns for 30 days from your order date. The money will be refunded back to your gift card for your convenience, and you can use the card for another purchase. We charge a processing fee of $14.99 USD when returning a Napper or Nappling, and $19.99 USD when returning a Hugger. Please note that gift cards are not exchangeable for cash value and are nonrefundable.
On the checkout page you have an option on the right side to redeem your Gift card. Please note that once purchased, we cannot help you redeem the Gift card if you’ve forgotten to apply your unique code.
We currently accept all credit card and Paypal payments. We also offer a monthly payment plan through Shop Pay and Affirm for your convenience.
If you’d like to change or cancel your order, please email us at [email protected] or get in touch via this contact form. Unfortunately, no orders can be canceled once they are already processed and fulfilled by our warehouse.
Unfortunately, e-gift cards purchases can not be cancelled and are non-refundable.