Stress Balls: Stress relief nirvana or a con?
The Stress Ball: Does it work?
For years, stress balls have been a popular tool for managing stress and anxiety. But are they really stress relievers? Let's look at the science behind stress balls to see if there's any merit to their use.
Stress Toys
The first thing to understand is that stress is a physical response. When we feel stressed, our bodies produce cortisol, a hormone that helps us deal with challenging situations. Cortisol prepares our bodies for "fight or flight" by increasing our heart rate and blood pressure. While this response can be helpful in short-term situations, chronic stress can lead to health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
One way to counteract the physical effects of stress is through relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation. These techniques help to lower our heart rate and blood pressure. Stress balls are another stress management technique for some. The theory is that stress-reducing techniques:
Reduce physiological stress
Provide a distraction
Give comfort
....or a combination of the above
Stress balls for adults
The main message from the scientific literature is that we haven't done enough studies to be really sure about the benefits of stress balls (and other sensory toys). Overall, there are mixed findings with small samples of diverse participants measuring stress in various ways. Small sample sizes are not ideal because they raise the probability that positive findings are due to chance. In addition, different groups of people and stress measures make it hard to compare studies.
A couple of examples:
One small study found that dialysis patients experienced reduced stress when using a ball for 10-15 minutes over eight treatment sessions (1).
Another small study of university students found no benefit of stress balls when measuring physical stress indicators (e.g., blood pressure) (2)
Stress is not the only outcome investigated by scientists. For example, one group of researchers found that stress ball use was associated with improved attention (3). So, the question 'are stress balls effective' might partly depend on the outcome you're interested in.
Alternatives
A stress ball is not your only option for managing stress. There is a wide range of alternative activities with more convincing outcome data. Some well-validated approaches are (4, 5, 6):
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
Meditation
Physical activity
A stress ball may appeal because it's an easy thing to do that doesn't require a time investment of practice and skill development. However, anyone serious about long-term anxiety management should consider a scientifically-supported alternative.
Squishy ball
So, do stress balls work?
The jury is still out, but I wouldn't put all your round-shaped objects in that particular basket. We need more good-quality research to understand any positive effects of stress balls.
We could all do with stress relief in our busy lives. So consider an alternative strategy that has good evidence for effectiveness. This will increase the probability of long-term success with your well-being.
We are Coaching & Clinical Psychologists with extensive experience helping people conquer a range of wellbeing and performance issues at home and in the workplace. We can also provide effective stress management strategies. Read more about my work, watch practical skills videos or browse other articles. Get in touch anytime.
References
(1) Kasar, K. S., Erzincanli, S., & Akbas, N. T. (2020). The effect of a stress ball on stress, vital signs and patient comfort in hemodialysis patients: A randomized controlled trial. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 41, 101243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101243
(2) https://minds.wisconsin.edu/handle/1793/80293
(3) https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ853381.pdf
(4) Paudel NR, Adhikari BA, Prakash KC, et alEffectiveness of interventions on the stress management of schoolteachers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2022;79:477-485.
(5) Schlechta Portella, C. F., Ghelman, R., Abdala, V., Schveitzer, M. C., & Afonso, R. F. (2021). Meditation: Evidence Map of Systematic Reviews. Frontiers in Public Health. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.742715
(6) Mücke, M., Ludyga, S., Colledge, F., & Gerber, M. (2018). Influence of Regular Physical Activity and Fitness on Stress Reactivity as Measured with the Trier Social Stress Test Protocol: A Systematic Review. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 48(11), 2607–2622. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-018-0979-0