Stress Ball

A stress ball is slightly similar to a regular tennis ball yet it is a bit smaller. They are soft enough to squeeze and offer relief from muscular as well as mental tension. Stress and stress related problems are on the rise and have become a daily part of our lives. When stress occurs regularly it cause harm to body. Stress relief balls are the latest in the stress relievers group. Whether stress balls really help, is a matter of dispute among most experts.

Stress and its related problems are the number one health problem in and around the world. Necessity is the mother of invention and new stress relievers are the need of the hour. Stress relief balls are the latest in the stress relievers group.  Vibrating stress balls, Imprinted stress balls, and many others are available even online and they all claim to relieve stress. But whether can stress balls really help a person or not has not been proven medically.

Stress is said to occur in a person when he/she faces a hostile environment. A person reacts to the hostile environment by the 'Fight or flight response'. There is an increase in the blood levels of stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol resulting in:

* Raising the heart rate
* Raising blood pressure
* Sleeplessness
* Memory disturbances
* Anxiety
* Concentration disturbances
* Loss of appetite
* Mood swings including anger outbursts

By squeezing a stress ball, note the following points:

* The attention is diverted away from the source of stress. The mind stabilizes and there is relaxation of both body and mind. This is akin to the effects of meditation and stress relief games.
* The mental energy that is piled up inside due to stress is let out and there is subsequent relaxation of mind.
* There is an improvement in the overall blood circulation which increases the supply of oxygen in out body and leads to elimination of toxins like ammonia and carbon dioxide. There is stimulation of nerves in the hands.
* These nerves carry the signal to different areas in brain especially the limbic area which is linked with emotions. This mechanism is similar to the popular Chinese method of 'Acu pressure' for treating health problems. Moreover, stimulation of brain also results in the production of endorphins which act as natural pain relievers and as sedatives.

Stress balls are being used by many people for stress relief. But text books are yet to mention the role of stress relief balls in relief of stress. Not many researches have been done to confirm the effectiveness of stress relief balls in relieving stress. A few unreliable theories are available which give a few explanation regarding the role, mechanism and effects of stress relief balls.
Stress balls are said to better stress relievers especially at workplace. Mostly when a person is under severe stress, he or she tends to start cursing, shouting and even throw office equipment; such reactions are not at all acceptable.  These reactions can be avoided and at the same time relief from stress can also be achieved by compressing stress balls every time you feel stressed out in you office.

Whether they know it or not, people using stress balls are practicing what can be a very powerful stress management tool. A lot of folks are playing with their balls while in meetings and on the phone. They would probably relax even more if they took a few minutes just to relax their minds and bodies, if only, for a few minutes each day.