How Anxiety Relief Toys Can Help Your Whole Family
If I were to ask the average person how they relieve stress, I’m sure I would get many different answers. Because we are all unique, we handle stress in our own way—hopefully though in a healthy way. Something I might not hear is playing with anxiety relief toys. But, why not? They are a great stress reliever and can be fun for the whole family.
ANXIETY RELIEF TOYS ARE NOT A NEW INVENTION
Objects to relieve stress have been around for a long time. In fact, fidget objects (anxiety relief toys) were first used in China as early as 206 BC. But we’ve come a long way since then. And now, a simple search on the internet will garner you a plethora of brightly colored and engaging doo-dads, puzzles, and gadgets, all claiming to relieve stress.
WHY IS THERE A NEED FOR ANXIETY RELIEF
One would think that in this modern-day age, life should be grand. I mean, look at all the conveniences we have today; cell phones, miniature computers worn around the wrist, microwaves, air travel, even cars that drive themselves. Good Grief! What more could we want?
Well, I’ll tell you. Peace of mind. And that my friends can be somewhat tricky to find in challenging times. And I think you would agree with me that we are in the midst of challenging times.
Indeed, If there has ever been a time when the family needs anxiety relief, I think right now ranks pretty high. Now don’t get me wrong. Raising a family and dealing with stress has always gone hand in hand. But increasingly so during the last year, families have been growing weary of their lives, feeling like it’s a roller coaster ride of emotions.
Besides the usual stress of raising a family, families today are having to navigate such challenges such as whether their children’s school is going to be open or virtual (which comes with its own challenges), wondering when their kids can get back to playing sports, worries about work, job insecurity, social unrest and loved ones alone in nursing homes and hospitals, etc. The emotional exhaustion and burnout are real.
WHY WE FIDGET WHEN WE FEEL NERVOUS OR UNCOMFORTABLE
A common symptom of stress is nervous habits like fidgeting, feet tapping, or biting your nails, etc. Have you ever been in a long meeting where someone is continually clicking their pen? Whether from anxiety or boredom, that person was using their pen as a fidget item. The same can be said for a child who chews on the end of his pencil without realizing it.
Anxious fidgeting happens when your body has elevated levels of stress hormones, which are preparing your muscles for sudden physical exertion. With all that energy having nowhere to go, you start jiggling your legs or tapping your fingers as a way to partially relieve that.
BENEFITS OF USING FIDGET TOYS
When people with anxiety can control or direct their movements, they can also improve focus and concentration.
According to Dr. Pillar Trelles, a psychiatrist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, fidget toys are a soothing way to relax and stay calm and focused. She also states that “fidget toys offer a less harmful way to expend nervous energy.
WHERE TO FIND ANXIETY RELIEF TOYS
If you have access to the internet, the choices are limitless. But you can also buy them from the big box stores such as Target, Walmart, Hobby Lobby, or Best Buy. Here are a couple of links to get you started. Happy hunting!
Anxiety Relief Toys
Finding ways to manage stress effectively is essential for both mental and physical long-term health. Having a few tools such as anxiety relief toys in your toolkit to weave into your daily life can help lessen the impact of stress on your family’s bodies and minds.
However, another great way to learn how to manage stress is to work with an anxiety coach. They can help you discover and master new ways to handle stress. Which, in turn, will allow you to make better decisions so you can experience the real joys of parenting.
Hi, I’m Kris Henderson, LPC. I want you to know that I am here to help. The easiest way to start taking control of your anxiety is to take the FREE 5-Day Anxiety Detox Challenge. If you would like more personalized support, I invite you to contact me or make an appointment online. Together, let’s work on strategies to manage the stress that comes when raising kids. I’m confident the more you experience less stress with the family and more of the good times with your kids, the easier you will find it to handle parenting challenges with grace.