Everything you need to know
about weighted blankets

Cortisol

Cortisol regulates a wide range of biological processes including metabolism, immune response and stress.

As with most hormones, it should follow a circadian rhythm. High cortisol blood levels are present when you wake up in the morning, useful for keeping you alert, and low levels are present in the evening, which help you relax and enter a peaceful sleep.

The challenge for most people, however, is that their cortisol level does not follow a normal trajectory. Cortisol is often too high in the evening, making you feel nervous, temperamental and stressed, impeding a good night’s sleep.

DORMU’s weighted blankets counter this by facilitating a reduction in cortisol to a healthy level, which in turn reduces late-night stress and anxiety.

Serotonin

Serotonin is known as the happy hormone and for good reason!

Elevated levels can drastically improve one’s mood and give that feel-good factor! Conversely, depleted levels can leave us feeling depressed, anxious, and can cause difficulty sleeping.

Most depression medications work by increasing our serotonin levels, but you can naturally boost serotonin levels through regular exercise, a healthy diet and a weighted blanket!

Melatonin

Melatonin is the hormone is responsible for facilitating the onset of sleep.

During the day, light suppresses this melatonin, keeping you alert. As night falls and natural light exposure decreases, the production of melatonin ramps up, telling your brain it’s time to sleep.

Even if you are sleep-deprived, it’s very difficult to fall asleep without elevated levels of this hormone, a common occurrence thanks to exposure to artificial light before bedtime.

The use of weighted blankets has been shown in studies to increase our melatonin levels, making it the perfect bedtime partner!

Reduced Anxiety

Everyone experiences anxiety.

It’s the feeling of uneasiness and worry, typically relating to the future. Anxiety can be useful in alerting us to potential threats but too often, it serves no real use. This is most evident when the feeling is constant -  disrupting our daily lives and making it almost impossible to drift off to sleep.

The evenly distributed pressure of a weighted blanket puts the body into rest mode, reducing the symptoms of anxiety and providing a sense of calm.

At a physiological level, a weighted blanket mimics the sensation of a hug, which lowers the stress hormone, cortisol, while simultaneously supercharging the happy hormone serotonin, making us feel comforted, calm and relaxed.

Improved Sleep

If you find yourself tossing and turning in bed, you’re not alone.

It’s estimated that over half of us have trouble falling and staying asleep - and 10 - 30% of the population suffer from a more serious sleep disorder, such as insomnia. Stress and anxiety are the leading causes of this sleep epidemic.

Because the pressure from a weighted blanket helps relax the nervous system, they are powerful aids in facilitating the onset of sleep and promoting a deeper, more restful sleep.

In addition to these key benefits, a weighted blanket is also adept at improving overall mood, as well as alleviating the symptoms of PTSD, fibromyalgia, and restless leg syndrome.

Reduced Insomnia

A 2020 study of 120 subjects in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine (JCSM) found that weighted blankets alleviated insomnia in patients diagnosed with underlying psychiatric disorders.

The participants, all of whom had diagnoses of insomnia, also dealt with a range of co-occurring psychiatric disorders including generalised anxiety disorder, ADHD, major depressive disorder, or bipolar disorder.

The results of the study saw improved sleep, reduced sleepiness, greater activity levels during daytime hours, as well as a reduction in the severity of insomnia were all identifiable benefits for patients who used a weighted blanket for sleep.

The DORMU Cooler Collection

DORMU’s Cooler blanket and cover collection are made of 100% lyocell bamboo, an ultra-breathable, hypoallergenic and thermoregulating material. Bamboo is often described as the ethical alternative to silk but we think it’s so much more than just a like-for-like alternative.

The large gaps between smooth strands enables air to flow evenly through the material, making it one of the most breathable and thermoregulating fabrics available. Unlike silk, which is delicate and must be hand-washed, bamboo is stain-resistant and won’t discolour over time. On the contrary, it becomes softer with each wash!

Lyocell bamboo is also the most environmentally friendly variant of this sustainable material as it’s produced in a closed-loop meaning there is no water wastage during production!

The inner blanket is weighted using eco-friendly small medical-grade glass beads, which are evenly distributed throughout the blanket in tastefully stitched sections.

The DORMU Snuggler Collection

The DORMU Snuggler collection is made using nothing but 100% organic cotton. Unlike most weighted blanket brands - we do not use artificial fillers for our knitted blankets.

To give the Snuggler its comforting weight, we use layered organic cotton strands that naturally distribute their volume. The diameter of the yarn varies depending on the selected weight of the blanket.

The beautifully weaved pattern of the Snuggler’s hand-knit loops are designed to enable airflow, making you feel relaxed and comfortable without getting overheated.

Sleeping under a heavy weight may feel unnatural at first. Like any change to your sleep environment, it can take some time for both your mind and body to adjust. For most people, it takes between 1 and 2 weeks for their new blanket to work its wonders.

Pro-tip: If you’re using a blanket from our cooling series, then use it only with the bamboo cover it came with. Layering an additional duvet or cover will impede the breathability of the blanket, making it difficult to stay cool.

And if you’re using our Snuggler blanket, try it with either just a single sheet below the blanket or by itself.

Your body will quickly adjust to the benefits of a weighted blanket. For some people this can take around 2 weeks, so we recommend using your chosen weighted blanket daily to maximise the benefits. Layering anything on top will trap the heat, not allowing air to flow between the weaves.

The Cooler

The bamboo blanket cover, which comes with every Cooler blanket, is machine washable. Simply remove it and place it in the washing machine, along with your other bedding. We recommend washing it on a low heat gentle setting, using non-chlorinated bleach.

The inner weighted blanket can be gently washed by hand or professionally dry cleaned.

The Snuggler

This one’s just as simple, it can be machine washed right at home. We recommend washing it separately from your other laundry on a gentle setting and low temperature.