TikTok & Expert Picks to Calm Nerves

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Sometimes, it can feel like anxiety is hiding behind every corner, waiting to pounce. Giving a presentation at work? Cue the trembling legs. Going to a social event where you don’t know anyone? Cue the sweaty palms. Stressing about everything on your never-ending to-do list? Cue the overnight tossing and turning. These thoughts and reactions to anxiety are totally normal, and millions of other people are undoubtedly experiencing them this very minute.

Now, there are certainly universal ways to cope, but we’ve all got our go-tos. Perhaps you phone a loved one, roll out a yoga mat, or pencil in an online therapy appointment. These are all great ways to manage anxiety, but what happens when you don’t have these solutions on hand?

Enter: our comprehensive list of the best anxiety relief products that are both TikTok- and expert-approved. The video-sharing platform has much more to offer than viral dance challenges, drool-worthy cooking clips, and chatty GRWMs. TikTok is actually an easy way to find product recommendations from folks who are also dealing with feelings of anxiety or have anxiety disorders.

Trust me, I scoured the app for anxiety relief products that you’re going to want to add to your cart straightaway. We sourced our recs from psychiatrist and therapist Dr. Melissa Shepard, M.D., mental health TikToker @juliebunnz, and mental health lifestyle brand Mental.

To back up these TikTok picks, we spoke with two experts about what anxiety is, how it can manifest, and why certain products can assist in relieving nerves.

What is anxiety? 

“Anxiety is often defined as excessive worry, but there is a lot more to the emotion. Anxiety can present itself as fatigue, irritability, restlessness, sadness, and an inability to concentrate. Anxiety can range from very mild to severe,” says clinical and forensic psychologist Dr. Leslie Dobson, M.S., M.A., Psy.D.

How can you tell if it’s everyday stress or an actual anxiety disorder? “Anxiety is a normal and adaptive response that can help individuals cope with stressful or potentially dangerous situations,” says clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Strohman, Ph.D. “However, when anxiety becomes excessive, persistent, and interferes with daily life, it can be classified as an anxiety disorder.”

What are the symptoms of anxiety?

As Dr. Strohman notes, symptoms vary from person to person, but common ones include: 

• Extensive worry, whether it be about health, work, relationships, finances, or just about anything else
• Physical symptoms such as increased heart rate, muscle tension, trembling, sweating, and gastrointestinal issues like nausea or diarrhea
• Restlessness, which can present itself as feeling on edge, being unable to relax, and having trouble sitting still or focusing
• Sleep disturbances like insomnia or disrupted sleep patterns 
• Irrational fears or phobias—from a phobia of a specific object to social anxiety disorder (a.k.a. fear of social situations)
• Avoidance behavior to dodge situations that trigger anxiety 
• Panic attacks, which are intense episodes of fear or panic that can bring forward a racing heart, shortness of breath, and other negative emotions

How can I manage my anxiety?

Some people might be able to quell their anxious feelings by using the products we’re about to mention. But those with more intense feelings of anxiety or an actual anxiety disorder will likely need something stronger, like therapy or, in some cases, medication. None of the products below claim to completely eliminate anxiety; we always suggest consulting a professional.

Now to the goodies. As we said, both TikTokers and experts gave gold stars to these 12 anxiety relief products—from weighted blankets and self-care journals to stress balls and fidget rings.

• Weighted Blanket

  

  “Weighted blankets allow anxious people to feel calm, grounding them and preventing the flighty feeling that comes with anxious thoughts and emotions,” says Dr. Dobson. Dr. Strohman notes that weighted blankets offer deep pressure stimulation, which can help make it feel like you’re being held or hugged. When your heart is racing at a million miles a minute or if your muscles can’t seem to relax, cozy up under a weighted blanket . This kind of anxiety-soothing product can also help those who have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.

• Lavender Essential Oil

  

  $8.99$11.9925% Off

  You can’t go into a drugstore without seeing dozens of lavender-scented products. Why? Because the fragrance works wonders for calming anxiety. “There is a lot of research behind lavender and its ability to produce anti-anxiety hormones in the brain,” per Dr. Dobson. A little aromatherapy with this organic lavender essential oil might be just what your mind needs to get some R+R during a time of heightened stress. If you don’t already own an aromatherapy diffuser, snap up Amazon’s No. 1 best-seller .

• Mindfulness Workbook

  

  Dr. Dobson touts cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as “the gold standard in psychology for the treatment of anxiety.” Mindfulness workbooks are a great way to incorporate CBT within the comfort of your own home.

  Workbooks are great for teaching practical techniques and strategies for managing anxiety. “These workbooks often contain exercises and worksheets that guide individuals in understanding their thought patterns, challenging irrational beliefs, and developing healthy coping mechanisms,” Dr. Strohman says. A mindfulness workbook like this one serves as a judgment-free outlet for individuals to release their emotions and thoughts, and it also encourages users to incorporate their learnings into everyday life.

• Heating Pad

  

  $19.97$29.9733% Off

  “Heating pads are very grounding, and they allow a person to be in their body more. They allow people to feel the warmth, distract their mind from their thoughts, and ground themselves in the reality of their body,” says Dr. Dobson. This option from Amazon aids in relieving muscle tension, provides a cozy feeling, and molds to your body. You can also adjust the temperature to low, medium, or high, as needed.

• Stickers

  

  $10.99$12.9915% Off

  Calm Strips and Mental joined forces on these adorable banana-shaped stickers that remind you to hit pause and take deep breaths every now and then. (Why a banana? “Because life is bananas,” Mental proclaims.) Even better, part of the proceeds from each sale of this set of five textured stickers goes toward Made Of Millions, a nonprofit organization that aims to change the stigma around mental health.

• Lavender Pillow Spray

  

  $12.99$19.9935% Off

  This pillow spray is another way to get your lavender fix. Since the scent helps chill and distract the mind, a spritz can be especially helpful if you’re feeling restless and unable to sleep. Dr. Dobson likes to pair a lavender pillow spray with deep breathing and meditation exercises.

• Eucalyptus Candle

  

  $15.18$2231% Off

  If lavender isn’t your cup of tea in the realm of fragrance, check out its soothing counterpart, eucalyptus. Sitting back and burning a candle that can lend a destressing hand? So cozy. This one can burn for up to 120 hours—that’s a lot of relief!

• Fidget Ring

  

  “Anxiety rings can be helpful because we can focus on them when we are in social situations that lead to social anxiety. They are a great way to distract ourselves from anxious thoughts that can lead to snowballing of anxious feelings and panic,” says Dr. Dobson. “Rings and fidget spinners can give us a sense of control and distraction.” This anxiety ring from Amazon consists of a band and 10 tiny beads that you can slide around with your fingers. Its chic silver (or gold) design will blend right into your jewelry collection.

• Guided Journal

  

  $9.95$12.9523% Off

  “Guided journals are very helpful with anxiety because they allow us to take our thoughts out of our mind and put them on paper, giving us the ability to objectively reflect on our thoughts, control them, and change them,” Dr. Dobson says. “We can also keep them in this journal and set them aside so that we don’t have to carry the anxious thoughts in our mind all the time.” This self-care guided journal creates space for reflection, offers suggestions and tips for soothing anxiety, shares helpful reminders, and tracks progress.

• Stress Ball

  

  $7.49$21.9966% Off

  “When we ritualistically squeeze the stress ball and put our energy and effort into the squeeze, we are physically distracting our body and refocusing our emotions toward the stress ball, rather than the growing anxious thoughts in our mind,” Dr. Dobson explains. Order this set of four fidget toys so that you can keep one in your handbag, one in your home, one in your office, and one wherever else you might need it.

• Acupressure Mat

  

  $26.81$29.9911% Off

  These mats aren’t just for gym-goers. “Acupressure mats are great for distracting anxious thoughts in the mind and allowing the individual to focus on physical sensations,” Dr. Dobson says. This acupressure mat , which also comes with a pillow, massages pressure points to relieve tension in muscles as well as stress.

• Weighted Stuffed Animal

  

  Embrace a weighted stuffed animal like Sam The Sloth while you sleep, work, or lounge around the house and you might notice your mind and body begin to calm. That’s because “even the slightest weight on the body allows us to move our focus toward our body and feel more centered and grounded,” Dr. Dobson explains.

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