The term “stuffed animal” may traditionally be used for toys for children, but in current times, weighted stuffed animals, similar to weighted blankets, are proving to be beneficial for reducing anxiety for both children and adults.
Help For Those Feeling Isolated
Times have become more isolated for people in general, and self-soothing is often what helps turn around a bad day. A weighted stuffed animal provides a feeling of unconditional support and peace.
For adults and children, weighted stuffed animals can fulfill a therapeutic need for comfort and a way to express emotions.
How Do Weighted Stuffed Animals Help With Anxiety?
Weighted stuffed animals are useful for grounding, calming nerves, and for those needing to meet a personal hug quota. They allow for calm, peace, and relaxation, and a chance to shift focus from stressful thoughts to feelings of support. They may even improve the quality of sleep.
Does hugging a weighted stuffed animal help release oxytocin?
The “feel good” natural hormone that humans have is called oxytocin. It is the strong hormone that gives parents that strong loving feeling towards a newborn baby.
Oxytocin is stimulated by hugging, which increases the circulation of serotonin. Serotonin is a hormone that makes people feel good.
Can weighted stuffed animals be machine washed?
Machine washing is not recommended for weighted stuffed animals because they may break a non-commercial machine with too much weight and the animal itself may rip during the spin cycle.
There are some brands that have a cover that can be taken off the stuffed animal and that can be machine washed. Most are easily washed by wiping with a damp microfiber washcloth dipped in a mild soap and water mix and hanging up to dry.
Things to Consider When Looking for For Your First or Your Next Weighted Stuffed Animal
Qualities to look for when buying a weighted stuffed animal:
- Soft fabric
- Enough plush softness
- Size
- Weight (sometimes this can be custom ordered, and usually between 2-5 pounds) A child will need something lighter than an adult.
- Easy to hold
- Is it washable?
- Is there a removable cover for easy washing?
- How heavy do you want it? A pound of butter is a good measuring tool. Next time you are at the grocery store, experiment a bit by picking up 2–5 or more pounds of butter, and seeing what weight you prefer.
What is the best-weighted stuffed animal brand?
Hands down, Aunt Sandy’s Sewing provides the best quality, attention and individualized choices for weighted stuffed animals. Aunt Sandy allows you to customize your order with the size of the animal and its weight, making it a perfect fit for the person you are buying for. This is a small business, so Aunt Sandy’s individual loving touch is put into each one.
Weighted stuffed animal, large dogs, unicorn, sloth, chick, horse, giraffe, elephant or lion with 5-12 lbs
Here’s what we love about Aunt Sandy’s Sewing Weighted Stuffed Animals
- Customized size
- Jumbo sizes available
- Customized weight depending on which animal you choose
- Choose between stuffed: Dog, sloth, giraffe or penguin with 4-8 lbs
- Washable options include plush large DRAGON, horse, giraffe, bunny or dog
- Great for adults or kids due to customization
Here are more Aunt Sandy’s Weighted Stuffed Animal Choices. These are all 3 pounds which are great for kids.
And last, the following selection of weighted stuffed animals from Aunt Sandy’s are all available in heavier weights, your choice of 6-10 pounds.
We hope we have taken the guesswork out of buying a new weighted friend to snuggle with. If you have a weighted stuffed animal, or have given one as a gift, give a review on your experience. We’d love to hear it!
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