Many people in the 21st century suffer from stress hence prompting a rise in new ways to help cope with it. Meditation, Soothing music, exercise, yoga, aromatherapy, healthy diet and the use of stress balls are just some of the ways people cope with stress. Time to engage in all these stress relieving activities might be limited which is why you might need something to help you out even as you go about your everyday routine. The squishy mesh ball is one such tool.

The squishy ball can be described as a stress ball with a twist. Unlike stress balls, which are made from wood or metal and were generally rolled around in your hand, this new variation can be squeezed. It’s made of a soft and squishy material which swells and expands when squeezed. The mesh wrapping the ball is designed to be left on so that bubbles can be created upon squeezing the toy. They are small enough to fit in your hand and carry around but big enough so they can’t get lost too easily. They also come in a variety of colors. The squishy toy is not only limited to kids but has also garnered quite a huge fan base among adults. Their incredibly satisfying texture feels amazing to the touch which many people will find amusing. It’s also designed to pop back into the form almost immediately after squeezing it which can be really interesting to watch.

How do they work and why have so many people fallen in love with them? It’s because they are a great stress reliever! Our brains tend to make use of the sensory channel (sight, feeling, hearing and smelling) as well as the intellectual channel when it’s under stress. If a person occupies the sensory channel, he/she will be able to cope with the stressful situation a lot faster. Therefore, when squeezing the squishy toy, their brain will focus less on the stressful situation. The design of these squishy toys also helps to relieve stress by promoting the release of dopamine (happiness hormone) to the brain. Also, because of how soft and squishy it feels in your hand, this aids in lessening muscular tension while at the same time stimulating the release of endorphins which help to lower the stress hormones known as cortisol. Repeated squeezing of these fascinating toys will also provide you with an increase in manual dexterity in the fingers and hands. So feel free to carry one with you the next time you have a stressful meeting ahead of you.

So why not get yourself or a loved one of these toys and see your mood light up throughout the day! You might soon find it hard to resist the urge to give it a quick squash every time it’s close to you.