Free Stress Ball



             


Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Keeping Your Cool With A Surfing Stress Ball

A stress ball can come in all shapes and sizes. A surfing stress ball is a hand sized ball that has some surfing logo on the ball. It is made of rubber or some other squeezable material and is squeezed by the owner when they feel stressed or anxious. It's a way of getting the stress out of the system by some form of physical activity. Of course a stress ball is not only about physical activity. The various shapes and sizes of stress balls give a psychological aspect to the stress relief. For instance, you can get animal or cartoon figures to use as a stress reliever. Not only can you squeeze away your stress but you can think about the humorous cartoon character and this helps you to relax. The surfing stress ball is much the same. Apart from squeezing out the anxiety, you will also see your 'aloha', palm tree or long board logo and be reminded of the times spent down at the beach. Or maybe you've never been to the beach but can imagine that it will be relaxing, pleasant, sun shining and you are sipping a cocktail. These pleasant associations will add to you sense of relaxation and help to relieve stress.

Stress balls also work in a tactile and auditory sense. You can put different types of material inside a ball or just have a foam rubber type ball. If you have things like rice, dry beans, oatmeal or small beads inside the ball this will give more texture to the hand when it is squeezed. This can have a massage affect on the hand and be soothing. The sound of the rice, beans or beads being squeezed can also be relaxing and soothing.

The stress ball is really a modern adaption of the worry beads or rosary that some catholic people carry around. It helps a person do something to get the frustration out but also helps them to change their focus. These are two great strategies for stress relief. Physical activity helps to get the affects of stress hormones out of the system. People often use exercise or sport to relax after a stressful day at work. And the iconography or imagery of the rosary, or in this case, the surfing stress ball can help a person redirect their thoughts from a busy day at the office.

The medical profession is unsure whether a stress ball actually works. For instance, many doctors believe that deep breathing is a better way to relief stress than squeezing a stress ball. Studies have shown mixed results with stress balls. In reality it seems that it depends on the type of person and the frequency that the stress ball is used. Some people respond to meditation rather than a game of squash as a means of relaxation. These people may not find a stress ball useful. And, if the stress ball is used all the time, it's effectiveness may become diminished or it may become a source of stress in itself.

If you would like to learn how to make a stress ball or get 5 ways to reduce stress today then visit http://www.stressmanagementreview.com Adrian Whittle writes on issues related to stress including work related stress and herbal remedies for stress and anxiety.

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Saturday, May 24, 2008

About Stress Balls

Stress balls (also known as stress relievers or stress toys) are one of the most popular promotional products today. There are many excellent reasons why they make a great imprinted promotional gift and here are just a few:

  1. Relatively cheap and therefore "budget-friendly";

     

  2. Small and light so they can be used in mailings or transported in bulk to events without a lot of expense and hassle;

     

  3. Come in over 650 shapes and styles so most anyone can find the perfect ball to represent their company;

     

  4. Fun, colorful and considered useful in squeezing out the stress that builds up during the course of the day!

As stress is agreeably one of the biggest health problems amongst Americans, interest in them is on the rise. Many people work jobs that are mentally and physically taxing. Anyone who works in customer service, in a cubicle, stands on their feet all day, etc...certainly can experience stress during the day. Squeezing a ball can relieve mental anxiety, carpal tunnel syndrome or the urge to throw your stapler at a co-worker!

The balls are malleable "toys" that are made from polyurethane foam rubber. This type of ball is made by injecting the liquid components of the foam into a mold. The resulting chemical reaction creates carbon dioxide bubbles as a byproduct, which in turn creates the foam. Nowadays you can find ones made from gel or a sand-like product (think bean bag) with either a rubber or cloth skin, as well as vibrating, glitter, yo-yo and much more.

Many people use the word "custom" incorrectly when searching for an existing shape to put a company logo on. However, if you have the time and money you can indeed have a custom shape created just for you! Custom shapes will require you to pay a pretty hefty processing fee to design a unique and new shape for you. In most cases you will need to pay an additional fee to have exclusive rights to the shape. If not, the factory reserves the right to use the new shape as it sees fit. Custom shapes generally take 12-18 weeks to produce overseas and the minimum quantity order required is greater than for existing shapes.

Stress balls are easy to find on the web. You need not search further than the keyword "stress balls" to get pages of results. Most online businesses sell them in bulk (generally the minimum quantity you can order is 150 units) and can normally be purchased with or without an imprint. If you are looking for only a few or perhaps are a avid collector, you may have a more difficult time purchasing them online. Further, they are not real toys even though they are commonly called "stress toys". Stress balls are an advertising item meant for adult use and should never be given to children

The author Stephany Mushonga works in her families small promotional products business. Her family has been selling promotional products for 30 years and currently owns and operates three websites: http://www.buypromosonline.com, http://www.1001stressballs.com and http://www.2manytotes.com

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