LifeNotes :: Travis Hiland


Why Stress Relief Balls Really Work

Posted in Stress Relief by Travis Hiland by travis.hiland on the April 19th, 2007

With rising stress, new products have been developed to help people reduce stress levels and prevent stress-related illnesses. Among such products are stress relief balls – light up stress relief balls, fuzzy stress relief balls, yo-yo stress relief balls, bead stress relief balls, and even character stress relief balls. Indeed, these toys come in all forms and choosing from all of them is enjoyable in itself. But do they work and how?

A person is said to experience stress if he or she is in a “hostile” environment or an antagonizing situation. The natural response of a person under stress is what is known as “fight or flight”. In humans under extreme stress, the “fight” response may be becoming angry, throwing a fit, or engaging in a fight or argument while the “flight” response may be substance abuse, social withdrawal or even overeating.

It is very important to control stress levels and prevent the negative and destructive effects of stress in a person. There are simple things that can be done to achieve this. Basically, what a stressed out person needs is a break from whatever causes him or her stress. That is one thing that stress relief balls can do for a person. By squeezing or just playing with stress relief balls, one’s attention is diverted from the stress trigger to the ball. The effect is similar to playing a stress relief game where the mind is relieved from worries and concerns while the person is playing.

Additionally, squeezing stress relief balls helps release the energy built up mentally due to stress, and consequently, relaxes the mind. Other benefits of squeezing stress relief balls are improving circulation and creating s a stimulating effect in the hand’s nerves. These can stimulate the brain to release endorphins, which are the body’s natural sedatives.

Stress relief balls are considered to be more effective than or as effective as most traditional stress relievers in providing short-term stress relief. Simply squeezing these toys during a highly stressful time will help avoid unpleasant reactions typically caused by stress such as fights in the workplace or office equipment being thrown, kicked or pounded. If you do not have one of these toys yet, get yourself one or give one to someone you know who experiences daily stress. You can shop for stress relief balls for less than 5 US dollars in online stores like Amazon or in your local office supply stores.