Stress balls are small, hand-held objects that can be squished and pulled without losing their shape. But don't let their small size deceive you. According to Columbia University's Go Ask Alice! service, they have big effects on stress and how you manage it. Squeeze the ball and your hand tenses up, let go and this simple action triggers release mechanisms that decrease your overall stress level. They can be made at home with a variety of materials or bought in stores.
Balloons
When constructing stress balls at home, use balloons to form the general shape of the ball. Double up on them and buy the thicker, helium-grade variety to prevent holes and tears so your stress balls will last longer. Blow a small amount of air into the balloon, use a funnel to fill it, removing any air pockets with your hands, then tie the end.
Flour and Other Powder Products
Natural substances found in the kitchen make effective stress ball fillings. Plus, they're readily available. Flour, sugar, salt and cornstarch will give the stress ball enough give to do its job and they are safe to use as stress ball fillings because they're edible.
Tactile Materials
Grainier materials give stress balls a crunchier feel than you might have experienced using traditional stress balls. Choose products such as rice, birdseed, sand, ground and dried corn husks, play dough, sesame seeds or split peas.
Foam
Most professional-grade stress balls are made from a lightweight, spongy foam rubber that can be molded into shapes such as hearts and wheels. When you squish them to relieve stress, they pop right back into their original shape. Some organizations purchase foam stress balls from manufacturers with their logos emblazoned across them.
Foam stress balls are covered with resilient fabric that helps them last longer. Because the foam in commercial stress balls is created using a chemical process, keep them away from children and pets to avoid ingestion.
Scents
Commercial stress ball manufacturers inject scents into some of their products. Lavender, lilac and peppermint are common fragrances. The scents are released only when the stress ball is squeezed, combining the stress relief of aromatherapy with the stress relief provided by muscle tension and relaxation.
Gel
Gel-filled stress balls are made like foam stress balls but are more elaborate and designed to do intricate things with their fillings. For example, the University of California at Davis designed a special Halloween-themed stress ball to promote its entomology program. Shaped like a skull, when the stress ball is squeezed, fake maggots pop out of the eye socket. When the ball is released, the skull returns to its original form.
