Usually, when I think of a stress ball, I imagine the yellow smiley face ones from the 90s, you know, the kitschy kind you put in a gift bag or find on your parent’s desk. What I can’t imagine is a plush square pillow in a chic earth tone shade, like the Quiet Mind kind, but I’m 100% here for this update.
The Mini Squeeze brands are part weighted pillow and part stress ball, and are said to help with lack of concentration, restlessness, poor sleep, and even anxiety. All you have to do is press it and you’ll release the built-up tension. You can also rest on yourself, like on your chest or lap, whenever you need to relax. Similar to a heavy blanket, the added pressure will help you feel comforted and grounded.
These days, there are so many apps and gadgets that measure your stress levels and tools to help you relax, but there’s something really nice about going back to basics. A stress ball may be simple, but it may be just what you need to de-stress without the need for a USB.
Here’s my honest review of what it was like to test Quiet Mind’s Mini Squeeze.
Quick Facts
- Price: $64.00
- Best for: Stress relief, a moment of Zen
- My rating: 4/5
- What me I like: Comfortable, portable
- What me I do not like it: Dear, a little too big
What you need to know about the Mini Squeeze
Like a weighted blanket, a weighted pillow is meant to apply pressure and comfort to your body. However, instead of lying under a blanket, you can put a pillow on your lap, hug him while you nap, or snuggle him while you watch TV.
Quiet Mind has several sizes of weighted pillows, including the smallest one called the Mini Squeeze that works more like a stress ball. At 1.5 pounds, it’s heavy enough to offer the benefits of a larger weighted pillow, but still light enough to carry around all day.
Quiet Mind pillows are backed by science. According to the brand, they work by starting a process called deep pressure stimulation, or DPS, which boosts your mood, reduces feelings of stress and anxiety, and helps you fall asleep faster.
When you hold a heavy pillow or rest it on your chest, the pressure helps your body release mood-boosting serotonin, calming dopamine and sleep-inducing melatonin by reducing the stress hormone cortisol . Hugging a pillow can also stimulate oxytocin, often called the hug hormone. Combined, these benefits can help you relax and move out of fight or flight.
The brand recommends squeezing the pillow between your hands to release stress, concentrate at work or stay present. Squeezing the pillow helps release muscle tension, and is also a pleasant tactile experience to help you deal with anxiety or restlessness.
It also comes in a variety of beautiful colors: blueberry, agave green, cashew (tan), and chili oil (red).
How to use the Mini Squeeze
While some of Quiet Mind’s pillows are big enough for a full-body hug, the Mini Squeeze measures just six inches by six inches, so it’s a little closer to a nice ball of old stress For me, it’s the perfect size to hold with both hands.
The pillow is filled with eco-friendly recycled glass beads for weight and polyurethane foam for cushioning. When you squeeze it, you can feel the beads being compressed. According to the brand, the beads absorb your restless energy so you can fidge less and focus more.
You can let the pillow hang on your lap for a little DPS, leave it on your desk for a mid-day snuggle, or take it with you on a train or plane for a dose of comfort. Hold it, squeeze it, knead it, squeeze it, or pull it to your chest.
My experience
It doesn’t seem like a weighted pillow weighing less than two pounds would do much for your well-being, and yet here I am with the Mini Squeeze resting on my thighs as I type this, and I have to say, it’s strangely comforting.
I’ve kept it on my desk during the day to squeeze or put on my lap to do some of that aforementioned pressure therapy. I’m a big fan of heavy blankets I’d live under one if I could, but this pillow is a great secondary option when I need to be upright and active.
Whenever I feel tense, I squeeze it and it really channels that stressed energy out of my body. And when my hands are busy writing, that’s when I’ll leave it on my legs, so its weight can do the work for me.
I’ve also been keeping the Mini Squeeze by my bed at night. It’s very comfortable to put on my chest while reading or scrolling through TikTok before falling asleep. It’s the smallest pressure, but it seems grounded.
The food
As someone who could always use a little more stress relief, I’m happy to keep the Mini Squeeze on my desk for those stressful midday moments. I think it’s a bit too big to be a true stress ball, part of me really wants to squish it in my palms, but it works as a sort of pillow/stress ball hybrid.
The design is also very beautiful. I have mine in chili oil red, and it looks so pretty among my other earth tone throws and pillows. If you’re looking for something to really cuddle up to, I recommend going up a size or two and treating yourself to a bigger pillow.
Referenced studies:
Eron, K. (2020). Use of the weighted blanket: a systematic review. Am J Occup Ther. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2020.037358.
Haynes, AC. (2022). A soothing hug: Design and validation of a tactile aid to relieve anxiety. PLoS One. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259838.
#heavy #stress #pillow #focus #relax
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