Do Stress Balls Help With Anxiety

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Stress balls are pretty popular among those who believe they will help reduce stress levels but do they work? They help keep your hands busy while you are busy doing other things that do not need both hands.

Some believe that these little squishy balls work to help cope with stress, and among them are many experts. That is why we will take a look at them to see whether they help bring down your blood pressure.

If you want to know more about one of life’s little helpful tools to assist in stress relief, keep on reading.

Table of Contents

What is a Stress Ball?

A stress ball is a pliable plastic ball that is about 7cm in diameter and is available in various colors. Some balls are made from thermoplastic rubber and are also available in larger sizes to be used by those with larger hands.

This stress toy is also available in many different fun shapes and does not need to be spherical. You may have seen a little ball in an egg shape on the desks of office workers and among promotional gifts.

They may seem to be there for decorative purposes but are meant to be used for health benefits. These balls are used in many different therapies, such as color therapy and physical therapy for forearm strengthening exercises.

Many different types, sizes, and colors are available with different decorative motives that originated from different countries worldwide.

How To Use A Stress Ball

You only need to place the ball in your hands and then curl your finger lightly around it. Then squeeze down on it while taking a deep breath through your nose and hold it there for a second or two.

The squeezing action should be the same as closing your hand naturally around an object and not too fast but firm. The next step is to open your hand slowly while breathing the air slowly through your nose.

Repeat this action until you feel your anxiety levels are going down. You can also alternate your hands to give both hands a workout. This will help to release that anxious energy and can be done every time you feel anxiety symptoms are coming back.

It is a good brain stress reliever and helps relax the arm muscles while removing the physical effects of anxiety. You can look at this Youtube video for quick instructions on how to use this helpful tool as a brain stress reliever.

Businesswoman Wearing Headset Playing With Stress Ball Talking

What Are the Benefits of Stress Balls?

You can easily use a stress ball for different reasons to relax and relieve the stress factor from your mind and body. The following is a list of all the benefits you may get from using these little tools to help you relax.

Connect one-on-one with a Psychiatrist

You can use it regularly without worrying that you may overdo it and hurt yourself.

You can use this tool to strengthen the muscles in your hands and fingers while you are reading or watching something.
It can also help enhance your focus and concentration, which is beneficial for students. A German study shows that it enhances overall focus and attention with different age groups.
You can treat hand injuries with it by using it for physical therapy with the injured parts of the hand.

These balls are small and can be easily transported and stored in a small storage space when it is not in use
The balls are accompanied by an exercise guide to make them easy to be used by everyone out there.
An acupressure effect is achieved by stimulating the nerves in your hands and has an impact on the rest of the body.

It is suitable for people who have post-traumatic stress disorder and have flashbacks to help them focus on the present.
Some believe that it helps relax the muscles by first tensioning them up and then releasing the tension in rhythmic patterns.
These balls are available in many colors and shapes to increase the fun factor of using them.

Other Methods To Release the Stress

If you do not have one of these handy stress relief tools available, other ways to relieve stress are also available.

Take a long relaxing bath to help you relax and get rid of the physical effects stress causes in your body.
Aromatherapy with essential oils will have a relaxing effect on your body and mind while it also improves your mood.

Take a walk in the garden or where it is quiet, and there are a lot of plants and flowers so you can smell them.
Pets have a very relaxing and therapeutic effect on people, and taking a walk or just talking to them may relieve stress.
Loneliness can also contribute to stress levels, and a good conversation with a friend or a family member will help.

If you have no one to talk to, just talk to yourself; it will help to take away some of the anxiety you feel.
Remove chaos from your environment and start organizing things around you. Clutter can increase stress levels.
Do a simple breathing exercise by inhaling through your nose and breathing out through your mouth for a few minutes until you feel more relaxed.

Meditation can be a convenient tool to get rid of stress and anxiety. You should take the time to learn how to do it.
If you know how to do it, different yoga poses can help lower stress levels and help your body in many different ways.
Many people feel relaxed when they listen to their favorite genre of music.

Conclusion

While some people believe that these little plastic balls increase stress, many others swear by them to relieve stress. Now that you know the possible benefits and how to use it, you should try it out and experience it for yourself.

It is always better to try for yourself, so you know what you’re talking about the next time these balls come up in a conversation.