With COVID and working from home, the amount of stress has gone way up for everybody — and fidgets of all shapes, sizes, and colors exploded on the market during the pandemic. Do they really help to burn off your nervous energy, and help manage pandemic stress?

Fidgeting is not a new human behavior — people say that playing with objects such as pens, balls, and coins in their hands helps them be more attentive and focus on a primary task or a long conversation.

But there is one more important reason that makes us fidget — it helps us manage such strong emotions as anger or anxiety. The explanation is simple: fidgeting occupies parts of our brain that otherwise might distract us with obsessive and unhealthy thoughts.

Benefits of fidgets for adults:

• Easing anxiety and stress
• Improving self-soothing skills and emotional regulation
• Increasing alertness and ability to stay on task
• Giving familiarity and structure to one's life

Fidgets are not just toys — they are very effective self-regulation tools, and can be very helpful for emotional and cognitive support.

Facing another stressful day? Think about getting yourself a fidget toy to keep your hands occupied and make your mind feel a bit quieter.