Four years ago, Dr. Kathrin Hamm found herself in a difficult position. She had recently received her doctorate, found an impactful job at the World Bank…and she couldn’t sleep. It was making her miserable.
“My on-the-road lifestyle quickly began to take a toll on my sleep, leading to chronic insomnia issues that impacted my work and personal life,” says Hamm in an interview with Whalebone Magazine.
As anyone who has suffered from the agony of tossing and turning all night can attest, a lack of sleep is torturous. Not only did Dr. Hamm want better sleep, but she didn’t want artificial sedatives or sleep aids; she wanted to feel the soothing calm of natural sleep.
Professionally primed to research solutions to her problems, Dr. Hamm did a deep dive into the medical literature, and stumbled upon an age-old, yet often ignored technique that plays to our human biology to guide us into sleep.
Her discovery would be so life changing, it would lead her to leave her job at the World Bank to embark on a journey of creating a world of better sleep.
“The first time I tried it, I napped for over four hours.”
Dr. Hamm’s discovery came in the form of something known as Deep Touch Pressure (DTP), a soothing technique that increases serotonin and melatonin (the happy and sleep hormones), while decreasing the stress inducing cortisol, the stress hormone.
Altogether this medley of effects leads to substantially better sleep, reduced anxiety, and a host of other benefits, like better mood and decreased inflammation.
One would think something so widely beneficial would require fancy technology or a strict regimen, but the truth is that it comes from something much simpler: a weighted blanket.
“After extensive research on various remedies—I finally discovered weighted blankets. The first time I tried it, I napped for over four hours, and I was immediately sold.”
While Dr. Hamm had discovered the panacea to her sleep woes, one issue remained. The market for weighted blankets was tiny, and all the existing ones were poorly made with plastic beads—rendering them hot, unsustainable, and unbreathable (not to mention, something of an eye sore).
Unable to find her perfect weighted blanket, Dr. Hamm decided she was going to make her own. So she reached out to her mom (a former seamstress), withdrew her retirement funds, and founded Bearaby: the sustainable, stylish, ultra-breathable weighted blanket company of the future.
Bearaby: From Garage To Internet Sensation
With Bearaby’s massive success today (aka the world’s most instagrammable “chunky blanket”), it’s hard to imagine that just a couple years ago the company was just two people—Dr. Hamm and her mom—sewing blankets out of a garage.
Naming her company from a portmanteau of “Bear Hug” and “Lullaby”, Dr. Hamm began marketing her signature product— the 20 lb, hand-knit “Cotton Napper”— to sleep sufferers everywhere. Within months, the blanket caught the attention of buyers at West Elm. With only the garage she worked out of as a meeting space, Dr. Hamm opted to lug in 300-lbs of her blankets to their Brooklyn headquarters, and West Elm became her first major buyer.
Within 20 months of that meeting, Bearaby had grossed an incredible $21 million in sales, as consumers everywhere flocked to the internet to endorse the blanket that was helping everything from sleep to anxiety.
Building off the huge demand, Dr. Hamm went on to expand the Bearaby product line, creating the ultra-soft Velvet Napper, and the eco-friendly eucalyptus fiber Tree Napper that naturally cools hot sleepers.
Fast forward to 2023, and the company has received the Red Dot award for design and over 5,000 positive reviews from satisfied customers. Bearaby’s iconic design has made it a star on social media, and even garnered celebrity fans like Mindy Kaling and Kathryn Hahn.
Bearaby Today: Beyond Weighted Blankets
Today, Bearaby has used its success and research to expand beyond blankets to a myriad of other comfort-based products, including a variety of pressure pillows, dog beds, and children’s blankets. Using the same guiding principles of sustainability, researched-backed materials, and durable design, the next generation of Bearaby products are bringing comfort and style to all aspects of home life.
The Hugget Pillow. Part pillow, part soothing massage ball, these Huggets work as both a furniture accessory that soothes while you press against it, and as a huggable knotted stress reliever, functioning similarly to a plush stress ball.
The Pupper Pod. Believing that pets deserve all the comfort that us humans do, these Pupper Pods use naturally certified Melofoam™ rubber from Sri Lanka, along with a machine-washable (and breathable) cover that ensures your dog’s skin and body are comfortable, and their bed easy to be cleaned.
The Nappling. All the deep touch pressure of a Bearaby’s standard nappers, all in kid-sized form. This ‘nappling’ is perfect for kids (30 lbs and up) who are restless sleepers and could use the comfort of a Bearaby bear hug.
Don’t Pass Up On Relaxation
If you’re one of over half of Americans who struggle with sleep, don’t suffer any longer. While you may not have the energy to pore through medical research to find a miracle solution, the good news is you don’t have to.
Bearaby has already done all the work, and their 5,000 + reviews will show their product is the real deal. If you’ve never had the soothing sensation of a weighted blanket, join the movement for better sleep today and get free shipping and 30-day returns when ordering today!