TOP 9 Best Stress Balls For Anxiety – 2024 Reviews

No matter how anxiety free your life is, stress can originate anytime from your work, family, friends, or your relationship. One simple way to divert your attention from the main stress causing event is by squeezing a stress ball. In this critical review, we have rounded up 10 best stress ball based on durability, ease of use, and other buying considerations. But prior to order stress, it is quite natural that you will ask a question like is stress ball really works for anxiety and stress? How squeezing something in my hand can help me to cope with stress?

According to the American Institute of Stress under a stressful condition, muscles tense up. The contraction of muscles for an extended period of time results in tension headaches, migraines, and various musculoskeletal conditions. When you tighten the ball, the hand muscles are tightened and as soon as you release the ball not only your carpal muscles but also all of your previously tensed up muscles also relax which expel tension and stress.

From the neurological explanation, this ball uses a brain stimulation technique which triggers the body to release endorphins. Endorphins are hormone which acts as pain relievers and sedatives which boost the mood. The hand nerve is directly connected with your brains that associated with your emotions. When you squeeze the best stress ball, it helps to stimulate those nerves which work like acupressure.

Things Need To Be Considering When Buying

The average price of stress balls hovers around $10 to $12. Sometimes they come in a bundle that is a pack of 12 or more. However, all of them do the same thing though, their shapes and size may differ. If you consider durability, then STRESS OUT Hand Therapy Stress Ball is unique among others.

When it comes about comfort and providing enough level of resistance, products from Gaiam and serenilite are great. Besides hand therapy, Rested Mind Gel Stress Ball promote relaxation. If you consider stress balls are mere gift item, Toy Cubby Realistic Foam Sports Ball and United Imports Globe Planet Earth Soft Foam Stress Ball could be a great gift for your family members or co-workers.

Top 9 Best Stress Balls for Anxiety

01 FlagHouse Squeeze Ball

This ball is simple to catch and throw. If dropped, it remains spherical and does not flatten. The product features a non-toxic filler. The product is made from closed-cell polyurethane foam rubber. These are made by injecting the liquid components of the foam into a mold. A chemical reaction took place which creates carbon dioxide bubbles as a byproduct, which in turn creates the foam.

When we’re stressed out our body reacted to the situation by tense up, and we physically clench. The stress ball prompts you to squeeze and release, which can leave you feeling less tense than you started. You can release some kind of energy by squeezing the ball.  Squeeze balls for example grape stress ball are now becoming popular among many people to get through a difficult day. You are free to choose from countless diversities of squishy stress relieving squeeze balls that you can allow movement of or carry along with you to your workplace, meetings.

These balls are handy during the working hours when people feel stressed and just want to chill a bit. These stress balls are good at absorbing stress and give you some moments of fun.

Specifications

Pros

• Easy to catch and throw
• Soft and squeezable
• Features a non-toxic filler
• Good for physical therapy
• Accommodate hands of a 6-year kid

Cons

• They are too little to squeeze. But depending on your stress level, you may want to have something that you can squeeze really, really hard.

FAQ

Question: What material is used inside of the ball?
Answer: Inside of the ball is filled with Foam.

Question: If it is dropped will it be flat?
Answer: No, it will stay round.

Our Remarks

The ball is comfortable to use. Filled with non-toxic material, this ultra-light ball offers no resistance and quickly regains its original shape. This ball is ideal for developing bilateral and eye/hand coordination. It can be used for squeeze, throw and catch for tactile stimulation or for just plain fun.

02 Gaiam Restore Hand Therapy Kit

Gaiam hand therapy massage balls come in soft, medium, and firm densities. The kit includes three 2 inches massage balls to soothe hands and increase hand, wrist and forearm strength. These balls are double-sided dual finger massager. Each side offers different health benefits. For example, one side stimulates blood flow to ease stiffness. The other side pinpoints areas of hand and finger pain.

The balls are very strong and did not break easily. They come with 3 different level of hardness. One soft, one medium and the last one hard.  These plastics made special balls are better than a plane new tennis ball for carpal tunnel and arthritis therapy. They are sticky during the first couple of use but eventually wore off. Gaiam hand therapy balls are not effective in strengthening the forearm. There are a quite number of things for this purpose. You can try, for example, elastic bands or cords.

Specifications

Pros

• Keeps fingers, hands, and forearms strong
• Improves strength, releases stiffness, and relieves joint pain
• Varying intensities without additional purchases
• Affordable
• Latex-free

Cons

• Dust and dirt stick to the balls easily. But this is not a deal breaker since rinsing it under the sink make it clean again.

FAQ

Question: What these balls are filled with?
Answer: Gaiam hand therapy balls are solid, the same material inside and outside. They are good quality material to exercise with. They withstand good abuse during hand therapy exercise.

Question: Do these balls washable?
Answer: These balls are not machine washable. Instead, you can use a mild detergent with a hot cloth to wash and set dry.

Our Remarks

Gaiam Restore Hand Therapy Kit helps you keep your fingers, hands, and forearms strong with simple daily exercises. To save you from additional purchases, the package comprises three color-coded balls for different resistance (soft, medium, and firm) for your particular needs and personalized progression. The packaging also includes a full-color exercise guide which contains easy illustrations on how to use the balls to improve strength, prevent stiffness, relieve joint pain, and increase flexibility.

03 Rested Mind Gel Stress Ball

Rested mind gel stress ball is designed to provide therapeutic relief, improve grip and restore hand mobility while relieving stress, anxiety and promoting relaxation. The ball is entertaining, compact, simple yet effective. Sensory stress balls are recommended by therapy managers, therapists and teachers to get rid of bad habits and increase concentration.

How stress ball works have a good physiological explanation. Researchers believe that you can distract part of your brain that is bored by fidgeting thus allowing other parts of the brain focusing on specific tasks. Stress relief balls are also great fun to use. The packaging includes free PDF guide for strength and stress relief exercises. The product offers a 100% money back guarantee.

Hand exercise with rested mind stress ball will give you extra focus or concentration on a task at hand. This ball is your de-stresser, your mediation buddy, your travel companion. These balls are great stress toys for adults. The user can squeeze it or bounce it off walls. They are pretty useful for people who work for hours with a computer keyboard. Gently squeeze the ball will relief fingers pain and stiffness.

Specifications

Pros

• Promote concentration and focus
• Gel core with a soft Lycra cover
• Free PDF guide for stress and strengthening exercises
• High-quality stitching
• Beautiful blue color is mind soothing

Cons

• The only problem with the ball is it does squish easily

FAQ

Question: What is the material used on the outside and inside of the rested mind stress ball?
Answer: The inside of this ball is made of semi-solid non-toxic gel, and the outside is Lycra.

Question: How the ball feels to squeeze?
Answer: It is between play-doh and some form of jelly-like sensory at the touch or squeeze.

Our Remarks

The rested Mind gel stress balls are wrapped in soft Lycra. These balls are both durable and effective for coping with stress. If you have been diagnosed with ADHD, ADD, OCD, or autism or stress and anxiety is your daily company, Rested Mind stress ball can help you to alleviate your unwanted symptoms and ease stress and at the same time strengthen your hands and forearms.

04 Serenilite Hand Therapy Stress Ball

Serenilite hand therapy stress balls are important for hand exercises and strengthening. They help to strengthen your joints and muscles while reducing carpal tunnel and arthritis symptoms and relieve stress. Under stressful condition like many deadlines to meet, running late to an appointment squeeze the Serenilite ball to soothe anxiety away while increasing blood flow to your hands, fingers, and forearms.

The ball is very therapeutic to those with symptoms caused by arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome as well as ADD/ADHD. Only makes sense of touch may not enough. So serenilite balls are made with dual colored fabrics which are soothing to the eyes and provide the best relief to the mind. The hand therapy stress ball is durable since it is made of a sturdy gel core over a tear-resistant dual color-coated fabric. The ball provides maximum grip and comfort. It is smooth to the touch and retains its shape each time you squeeze it.

The ball comes with single, not pair. There is no alteration in density between the colors of the balls. They are pretty squishy. They deform easily upon squeeze them initially and get firmer the further you change their shape. They will pass airport carry-on security regulations like golf balls, bocce balls, and golf balls. Other than look, there is no difference between Serenilite Relax Dual Colored Hand Therapy Stress Ball and Serenilite single colored hand therapy stress ball.

Specifications

Pros

• Strengthen joints and muscles
• Spark multiple senses
• Ultra- durable
• Very squishy yet firm
• No offensive smell

Cons

• Not the best for a man with stronger, larger hands

FAQ

Question: Can the ball clean with water and soap?
Answer: The ball can be wiped with mild soap and water.

Question: What is the material used to manufacture the ball?
Answer: The core material is Gel which is covered with a soft, sturdy nylon cloth.

Our Remarks

Serenilite hand therapy stress balls are carefully crafted to provide optimal comfort for your hands. With 2.20 inches diameter, each ball is carefully crafted with an ultra-durable soft gel encased in a smooth dual colored fabric cloth. The ball retains its shape after every squeeze

05 Serenilite Stress Ball and Hand Therapy Gel Squeeze Exercise Ball

This ball bag stress ball is one of the most popular stress balls in the market. What makes this antistress ball stand out is its dual-colored design that was created as a therapeutic feature, also known as color therapy. The squeeze ball is smooth to the touch and can be great to use for those who are always on edge and need to de-stress all the time.

The squishy ball came in different color combinations and was designed to target specific emotions and help holistic relief. The combos are Ocean Breeze (2 shades of blue) to soothe the senses, Springtime Serenity (green and pink) for emotional relief, and Electrical Surge (red and purple) to boost mental motivation while exercising. The 2.25 inches squishy stress ball has a gel core and is made with durable and tear-resistant fabric. The funny stress balls come in a clear polybag. Exercise with Serenilite hand therapy stress ball has many health benefits which include:

• Strengthen muscles and joints
• Release stress and tension, improve productivity especially at work
• Get relief from pain caused by arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome
• Exercises and tones fingers, hands, and forearms
• Improves blood circulation

Specifications

Pros

• The available colors are not just represented by creative thinking. They also serve a specific purpose.
• The ball is soft yet provide the right level of resistance
• It can easily carry from one place to another and used anywhere
• The squeeze ball is smooth to the touch and can be great to use

Cons

• The ball can be too small for men with large hands

FAQ

Question: does the ball contain any latex?
Answer: No, it does not contain any latex. So, people who are allergic to latex can use it safely.

Question: How do you clean this stress ball?
Answer: Use water and mild soap, and it dried off looking like new. The ball is waterproof.

Our Remarks

Stress is part of our everyday life. But not all of us perceive mentally how much tension we can carry in our body, and only a few of us know how to release it. Good news is Serenilite stress relief toys are designed to unclench our muscle hands and unhunch our computer-stare shoulders. Serenilite’s dura-grip gel stress toys are affordable, effective stress reliever what you may look for.

06 STRESS OUT Hand Therapy Stress Ball

Stress out hand therapy stress ball comes in two mesmerizing colors: Titanium and blue skies. Both colors are mind soothing. What makes this personalized stress balls different from others is that their fabric. The fabric is virtually indestructible when it comes to squeezing it in your hands. Comes in 2-pack, each ball is 2.36 inches in diameter. It offers a 100% risk-free purchase. Although unnoticed, but stress is the deadly ailments of the body.

Stress has different negative effects on the human body ranging from tiring you out to aging. It weakens the immune system. Luckily, with the stress out hand stress ball, you have a quick and easy fix to the stressful situation. Achieve tranquility and peace of mind by stressing out stress toys.

The ball has the right amount of conformability and resistance for being considered as an ideal stress ball. The nylon covering is nice and keeps it clean. The ball is made of quality material and grips well in assorted hand motions. Great ball for finger exercises and hand strengthening. The ball is close to tennis ball size and is very firm. It is filled with material that you can squish and squeeze and squash on a desk, and it returns to its normal form.

Specifications

Pros

• Reduce stress effortlessly
• Invigorate senses
• Ultra-strong tear resistant fabric
• Strengthen grip and work muscles
• Comes in two mind soothing colors

Cons

• These balls are just little too firm. They are perfect for strengthening than stress relief

FAQ

Question: Do the ball comes in single or pair?
Answer: omes in 2-pack in a beautiful mind soothing color: Titanium and blue sky.

Question: What is the length or diameter of the ball?
Answer: Each ball is 2.36 inches in diameter.

Our Remarks

Stress out hand therapy stress ball is great for hand exercises and strengthening. You will feel promptly at ease when you feel this ergonomically design stress ball in your hands. Grab stress out stress balls when you are feeling uneasy in a situation like before exams, performances, and quizzes, taking off on a flight, and more.

07 Toy Cubby Realistic Foam Sports Ball

Toy Cubby stress balls for kids come in 24 pieces. They are made of durable foam and are available in realistic sports ball design for example soccer ball, football, basketball, baseball. They retain shape even with harsh handling. The ball measures 2 ½ inches diameter. This is a pack of sports balls. They come in a clear plastic bag. It could be an ideal gift for your friends or family who love sports and coaches. Foam sports ball has great party favors. Children have a great attraction towards these balls. They can also be put into service to decorate your office.

Whether you are a teenager or a man in his 90’s, if you have not done something to keep your hands strong, you will have weak hands. To strengthen your hands, you can use these sports balls in your fitness class or home. After starting using these balls, within a short period, you will notice remarkable progress to do things like grasping things that you were not able to do so for a long period of time. These balls are amazing to keep your hands strong and flexible.

Specifications

Pros

• Perfect tool for hand exercise
• Help relieve from stress and frustration
• Capable of withstanding harsh handling
• Work great as prize incentives and party favors
• Have nice vibrant colors

Cons

• Balls are smaller than they appear in the picture. They are way too small for a toddler to catch.

FAQ

Question: Package includes how many balls?
Answer: Package includes 24 pieces realistic foam sports ball.

Question: What is the material used?
Answer: The ball is made of durable foam.

Our Remarks

Toy Cubby foam stress balls are produced by the manufacturing process to help relieve stress and an act of hindering someone’s plans or efforts in our everyday work and also a perfect tool for hand exercise by squeezing the ball repeatedly. These balls are safe and soft for playing catch and toss game. They are especially great for children learning to catch.

08 United Imports Globe Planet Earth Soft Foam Stress 55mm Ball

These therapeutic educational Stress balls bulk come in a dozen. They are used in tension relief activity. Stress balls are useful tools for all types of people. If you regularly cope with stress, especially at work, you know how difficult it is to expel all of the tension and anxiety that builds up in your body.

Stress balls are amazing tools since they, in fact, support you relieve stress. Stress is a psychological comeback or response that manifests physically in our bodies. Symptoms of stress are quickened heartbeat, racing mind, and tense muscles. There are plenty of options to relieve tensions by meditating, exercising, or talking it out with a friend but those options are not always available or practical.

Stress balls are frequently used in offices, and that is understandable. Work is a primary source of stress for many people but is it possible you can get up in the intermediate part or section of your workday and go take a run to work out your stress? Instead, what you can do is grab or take your stress ball and bounce or give it a good squeeze to benefit relieve tension in your muscles and help relax your body.

Another good use of a stress ball by office workers is they use it for hand exercises. These balls are great to work out any tension in your hands, wrists, and arms from working on a computer all day. During a hectic working day, it is great to take a stand up, short break, and walk around a little when squeezing your stress ball.

Specifications

Pros

• Very colorful
• Serve both education and fun
• Tension reliever
• Great gift item for earth day

Cons

• They are cute looking but smell horrible

FAQ

Question: Each package contains how many balls
Answer: This is a set of 12 balls.

Question: What is the diameter of the ball?
Answer: The diameter of the ball is 2 ½ inches.

Our Remarks

Each pack of United imports stress ball contains 12 balls. They come in a nice looking glove pattern shape. Each ball measures 55MM in diameter. This squeezy soft stress ball bounces too. They can be used for education and fun. This ball could be an awesome prize for earth day. Kindergarten classes are the perfect place of this ball.

09 Universal Specialties Light Up Flashing Spiky Ball Bundl

Each bundle of light up flash spiky ball comes with three balls of purple, blue and green color balls. Each ball lights up for fun and games. This item is a good dogs toy because they love flashing balls. The balls are also great fun for kids. They are easy to hold and bounce well. The light inside flash when the ball hit the ground. Everything lit up like a rave. Kids love this color effect immensely. The balls are made from thick rubber and are very durable. The spikes are not hard. They do not hurt if the ball bounces back and hit the hands. Children have a great time play with the ball.

Unlike other similar types of balls, you need not slam the ball to light up. The emitting colors are very vibrant, and the spikes add a really cool flair. The ball flashes colors for a minute and then turn off. The batteries of the ball are of high quality because after 3 days of non-stop being thrown and kicked around; the ball will not stop lighting up.

Specifications

Pros

• Great toy for both children and dogs
• Good for juggling
• Very inexpensive
• Easy to hold and bounce well
• The colors are very vibrant

Cons

• 2 out of 3 balls work as advertised

FAQ

Question: Do the LEDs included in these balls change colors while flashing?
Answer: All three balls of the bundle flash a rainbow of deep colors.

Question: Can these balls be used as dog toys?
Answer: yes, they can be used as dog toys. They are made of thick rubber and do not puncture easily. But if your dog chews on it regularly, it will not last long. They are great for simple play and fun.

Our Remarks

Universal’s spiky ball measures 2.5 inches in diameter. The ball is rubbery, squeezable, bouncy and it lights up. There are different ways to relieve stress with these super cool stress balls. One simple way squeezes the ball and feels the soft spikes. You can also roll it around on your desk or bounce it.

What To Know Before Buying The Best Stress Ball?

Stress balls are malleable objects. They normally come in spherical shape, but sometimes take unusual or quirky shapes, that when squeezed or manipulated by the hand and fingers can ease muscle tension and ease stress. Stress balls are filled with clay or gel. But balls filled with sand, foam, baking soda, rice or other substances are not so uncommon. Whatever ingredients used- the hallmark feature that stress ball should have is malleability. It is the feature that allows it to deliver stress-beating and strength-building benefits.

Since a broken stress ball is understandably messy, you should select a product with a strong and robust coating. Rubber is used as coating material because of its flexibility and durability. The density of the ball depends on the material used inside, and there are three different types. These are Foam, Gel, and Rubber.

Foam

Sports balls are usually filled with squishy material. The rational motive for a belief or action behind it to retain the shape instantly after squeezing the ball. But balls made with foam as filling material cannot withstand extensive use and wear out easily.

Gel

Physical therapy balls are generally made of Gel core. Gel provides both firmness and a little squish. The gel material is covered with another external material or fabric and tends to feel cooler to the touch than other materials. This reduces inflammation of the hand as well.

Rubber

Though rubber is bouncy, it is firmer and denser than both foam and gel. Like Gel filled balls, rubber balls too are good for hand therapies but may be a little too firm. The drawback of rubber it tends to collect lint and hair.

A few must-have features you need to look for while selecting the best stress ball are:

• It must be comfortable enough for you
• Must have a texture that allows the optimal grip
• Product or manufacturer must provide information regarding the material used
• Must be BPA and Latex-free
• Sometimes stress balls are used to deliver the message. Promotional stress balls are used for this purpose. They can take hundreds of different types of shapes.

How to Use and Maintain Stress Ball?

Stressball reduces stress and depression. Mesh stress ball, for example, can be used by both adults and kids for fun and stress reliever. Use of the ball involves several hand exercises. These are Palm press, full grip, finger grip, thumb press, and pinch grip. Below we have described step by step process for each type of exercise.

Palm press

• Place a stress ball in between your palms, keeping your forearm in a vertical position
• Press and hold for 3-5 seconds, then relax
• Repeat 10 times

Full Grip

• Hold a stress ball in your palm and squeeze it as hard as you can
• Hold for 3-5 seconds, then relax
• Repeat 10-times, rest for 1 minute, then repeat with the other hand

Finger Grip

• Place a stress ball between the tip of the finger and the thumb
• Press and grasp or hold for 3-5 seconds then relax
• Repeat 10 times with each finger, rest for 1 minute then repeat with the other hand

Thumb press

• Place a stress ball in your great compliment
• Press it with your thumb pointing towards your little finger and hold for 3-5 seconds, then relax
• Repeat 10-times, rest for 1 minute and repeat with the other hand

Pinch Grip

• Pinch a stress ball between your thumb and the tips of your fingers
• Hold for 30-60 seconds
• Repeat 10 times with both hands

Many stress balls are washable. They can be clean with mild soap and leave to open air to dry. But you cannot put them into the washing machine. And most of them are durable too since they are made of thick rubber or have foam gel core inside. They withstand vigorous handling.

Final Verdict

Stress balls are toys. These spherical little wonders have so many benefits in terms of both physically and psychologically. There are different types of stress tamers with different shapes and sizes. So, choosing the best stress ball may be overwhelming. But picking the right one should not add to your already elevated tension. In this best stress ball buying guide, we have reviewed nine highest-rated and best- selling stress balls on the market. Stress balls are not costly. All of them are a stress reliever. Their features vary little from product to product. For example, Gaiam hand therapy kit and Serenilite hand therapy stress balls are a great stress reliever. But Gaiam product is known as custom stress balls since they are easy to fit to meet individual needs. On the other hand, Serenilite therapy balls offer maximum grip and comfort.

Stress out hand therapy stress balls have one unique feature which is they come in the ultra-strong tear resistant fabric. They will never rip on you. They are available in two great mind soothing colors, and like others, they can be used for finger exercises and hand strengthening. Rested mind gel stress ball is specially designed to provide therapeutic relief, improve grip and restore hand mobility. If you are looking for cheap stress balls, Flaghouse squeeze balls are great. Their price is not more than $5.

United import’s globe planet earth soft foam stress ball provide education as well as hand exercise. They are great gift item on earth day. Toy cubby foam sports balls are great for not only hand exercises but also playing catch and toss game. They too can be present as a gift item to family members and co-workers. After reading our article, you may wonder where to buy stress balls or where can I buy a stress ball. Certainly, online marketplace like Amazon or Walmart is a great place. Apart from these, they are also available in gift shops. Finally, pick the one that will best serve your needs. Happy buying!