A weighted stuffed animal for stress and tension

Stress is part of life. A deadline, a full diary or worries about someone: your body responds with tension. Usually it fades again, especially if you allow yourself a moment of rest. For a moment like that, many people like to reach for a weighted stuffed animal: something soft and heavy that helps you pause for a while. Below, you can read what it can give you and how to build in a pleasant moment of rest.

What does stress do to your body?

When you're under pressure, your body braces itself. Your heart beats faster, you breathe higher up in your chest and your muscles tighten. That is a healthy response, as long as recovery follows afterwards. Your nervous system has a kind of accelerator and brake for this. With stress, the accelerator is pressed down. With relaxation, the brake takes over.

It becomes difficult when the accelerator gets stuck. Then you sleep worse, lie awake worrying and become exhausted more quickly. Moments of rest help your body to step on the brake every now and then. You can read how the idea behind a weighted stuffed animal fits in with this in how does a weighted stuffed animal work.

Can pressure on your body help you relax?

Many people find firm, even pressure calming, like a firm hug. Research on weighted stuffed animals themselves is still in its early days. Among adults, however, a little research has been done with much heavier aids.

In a 2015 study, 50 healthy adults briefly experienced pressure from a special vest. Afterwards, the researchers measured less activity of the accelerator and more of the brake. There was no comparison group, and the vest came from a company belonging to one of the researchers.

An older study had 32 adults lie under a blanket of just over 13 kg. About six in ten said they felt less anxious afterwards, and almost eight in ten preferred the blanket for calming down. An American advertising watchdog later ruled that this study was too weak to support claims about anxiety: the participants hardly had any anxiety, the test lasted only five minutes and there was no comparison with a light blanket.

What does that mean for a weighted stuffed animal?

A weighted stuffed animal usually weighs 1 to 2 kg and only presses on the spot where it rests. That is very different from a 13 kg blanket or a vest around your upper body. You can also safely set aside promises about lower stress hormones: in a lab study with a much heavier blanket, the stress hormone cortisol did not change.

Still, many people enjoy holding something heavy and soft when they want to relax. Perhaps the pressure plays a part. Perhaps it is also the feeling of something soft in your arms, or simply the moment you take for yourself. If it helps you to pause for a while, that is a good reason to use it.

How do you build in a moment of rest?

A weighted stuffed animal goes well with a regular moment for yourself. A few ideas:

• After work. Sit on the sofa for a while before you start cooking or doing the housework. Put your phone away and the stuffed animal on your lap.
• Mindful breathing. Place the stuffed animal on your tummy while you lie down or lean back. Breathe in calmly through your nose and feel the stuffed animal rise with your tummy. Breathe out slowly and feel it sink again. Do this for a few minutes.
• In the evening. Use the stuffed animal with a book, music or a series, as a way of winding down towards the night.
• In between. At home during a break, or after a difficult conversation. You can read how to use it when you need to work or study in the article on concentration.

How to use it comfortably and safely: start with short sessions and notice what feels pleasant. You must always be able to lift the stuffed animal and put it aside yourself. Never put it on your face, head or neck, and if you fall asleep, put it next to you. Do you have breathing, heart or circulation problems, sleep apnoea, epilepsy, low muscle strength or fragile skin? Then ask your GP for advice first. You can read more about this under safety.

Are you an adult and not sure whether a stuffed animal is for you? You are not the only one, and it is perfectly normal to seek comfort in something soft. Read more in weighted stuffed animals for adults.

Is stress the same as anxiety?

Stress and anxiety are similar and sometimes overlap. With stress, your body reacts to pressure or demands from outside, such as work or worries at home. When that pressure eases, the tension usually fades too. With anxiety, there is a strong feeling of threat or unease, sometimes without a clear reason, sometimes with panic attacks. If that sounds more familiar, read about anxiety and panic.

If your tension mainly comes from too many impressions, such as noise, light and busyness, it may also be sensory overload. You can read more about that in the article on sensory overload.

When should you seek help?

A moment of rest is lovely for everyday tension, but sometimes more is needed. Seek help if the stress doesn't ease, even after a weekend off or a holiday. Or if you sleep badly, worry a lot, get irritated quickly or feel exhausted. Physical complaints without a clear cause can also be a sign.

Your GP is a good first point of contact. If work plays a big part, you can also turn to an occupational health doctor. Together you can look at what you need, for example talking to a psychologist. Alongside that, a weighted stuffed animal can remain a nice little helper. You can find other situations in which people use one in benefits and uses.