The 11 Best Gifts for People with Anxiety of 2020

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If you have someone on your holiday shopping list who you suspect is struggling with anxiety this year, there are a few things you should think about before selecting their gift. “When shopping for someone who struggles with anxiety, consider gifts that promote self-care and relaxation,” Rebecca Etkin, PhD, of the Yale Child Study Center Anxiety and Mood Disorders Program, tells Verywell Health.

For example, items such as candles, bath products, weighted blankets, and coloring books can all be useful for keeping stress and anxiety at bay, she suggests. “If the person on your list has a hobby that they tend to use as stress-relief, such as baking or gardening, related supplies could make for an especially thoughtful and useful gift.” A subscription to a meditation or mindfulness app could also be a great option, depending on your relationship with the person.

There are types of gifts you should avoid, even if they are well-intentioned. “It’s best to stay away from gifts that could lead to additional feelings of stress or pressure,” she points out. “Gifts that require a commitment or contain an element of surprise, such as dinner reservations or tickets to an event, may unintentionally increase anxiety.”

Regardless of the gift itself, Dr. Etkin stressed the importance of one personalized touch: “Including a handwritten card can go a long way in conveying your care and support,” she says.

If you're looking to gift your loved one with some stress and anxiety relieving gift options, take a look at a few of the following products for inspiration.

Our Top Picks

Muse S Brain Sensing Headband

As Dr. Etkin suggests, meditation can go a long way for someone with anxiety. You could gift your loved one with an app, but if you are feeling generous, the Muse S Brain Sensing Headband is the ultimate gadget to help someone get their zen on. Think of it as a personal, guided meditation assistant—the meditation equivalent of a Fitbit. The soft, comfortable headband is adjustable and connects to the app via Bluetooth, providing word-by-word or sound-by-sound guidance. It also provides real time feedback, monitoring the heart, mind, body, and breath, and even helps track sleep. The soft, comfortable headband is adjustable and connects to the app via Bluetooth.

JLab Noise Cancelling Earbuds

Sometimes the world is incredibly loud, and those who suffer from anxiety are extra sensitive to noise, according to studies. A pair of noise cancelling earbuds or headphones are the perfect gift for the person who needs a little break from the sounds, voices, and feedback invading their mental space. JLab’s Bluetooth enabled JBuds are a budget-friendly, feature-heavy alternative to Airpods, offering over six hours of listening with an 18 additional hours of charging power courtesy of the charging case they come in, and voice-activated control via Siri or Google Assistant. Whether they enjoy listening to music, meditation apps, or simply need to drown out the outside noise for Zoom meetings, these are key tools in helping them keep their calm.

Casper Weighted Blanket

There is a good amount of scientific evidence supporting the use of weighted blankets to help quell anxiety. Casper, one of the world’s go-to brands for everything sleep related, has perfected the weighted blanket with this soft, warm, and aesthetically pleasing bed addition. It is available in three different weights: 10, 15, and 20 pounds, with the recommendation that you choose the one that is 10 percent of their body weight and three palette pleasing hues: dusty rose, indigo, and grey. It is filled with micro beads that are equally distributed similar to a down jacket, so that they weigh down every part of the body similarly. The blanket also features a breathable cover to prevent overheating.

Adult Coloring Book Stress Relieving Designs

Like Dr. Etkin mentioned, coloring books are an effective tool in quelling anxiety and promoting mindfulness. Cindy Elsharouni’s Adult Coloring Book Stress Relieving Designs is one of the highest-rated, top selling items in the category on Amazon. It features 60 calming designs, including animals, mandalas, and flowers, illustrated by the international artist. Pair the journal with a great set of pens—we love this set on Amazon—and they will have everything they need for a stress-relieving afternoon activity.

Barefoot Dreams CozyChic Bathrobe

You don’t need a scientific study to prove that a super comfy bathrobe helps with relaxation. Just visit pretty much any spa on the planet and you will find a fluffy, buttery soft, bathrobe hanging on the door of every treatment room. Barefoot Dreams has corned the cozy robe market with their wildly popular CozyChic Bathrobe. Available in a bunch of colors and sizes, this pill-free, shrink-free bathrobe is the perfect de-stressing gift for any gender, age group, or personality type.

Aera Smart Diffuser

An Aera Smart Diffuser is the perfect gift for your anxious loved one who appreciates the intoxicating aroma filling a room, but doesn’t need the added worry of forgetting to blow out a candle. This smart diffuser, which can be filled with a variety of stress-relieving scents—can be controlled via an app on their gadget, so they can choose when and how much of a scent they want injected into their space.

LifePro Waver Vibration Plate Exercise Machine

Studies have shown that exercise is one of the best treatments for anxiety. Whether they work at home or in an office, this LifePro Waver Vibration Plate delivers vibrating oscillation movements to the entire body and can help provide a stress-relieving workout—or even just a comforting vibration—anywhere. Compact enough to fit under their bed, desk, or in the back of their car, it can be conveniently taken out for a quick sweat session.

PURA D’OR Perfect 10 Essential Oil Wood Box Set

Essential oils are an easy way to infuse a little calm into your loved one’s world. This highly rated set from PURA D’OR features 100 percent organic 10mL pure aromatherapy essential oils in 10 amazing aromas—tea tree, lemon, lavender, sweet orange, rosemary, lemongrass, frankincense, peppermint, eucalyptus, and cedarwood—that can be used in a variety of ways, ranging from dabbing on the skin to using in a diffuser. They also come neatly packaged in a little wood box, making them a perfect stocking stuffer.

Fellow Stagg EKG Electric Kettle

Sipping on certain types of tea has been scientifically proven to combat stress. That makes a gorgeous tea kettle a thoughtful gift for anyone who needs a little herbal infusion. Fellow’s Staff EKG Electric Kettle is a modern and minimalist kettle that is both aesthetically pleasing to the eye and truly functional. It can be used anywhere with a power outlet, including the office, bedroom, or even outside. It is incredibly easy to use and can hold the desired temperature for up to 60 minutes, providing piping hot water to pour over tea.

Erin Condren Gratitude Journal

Journaling is a great tool to help walk someone through anxious feelings. This Gratitude Journal from Erin Condren was developed to help with reducing stress levels while promoting inner peace by providing the perfect place to keep daily gratitude in check. This planner, filled with high quality paper pages, includes six months of daily gratitude prompts and 30 day reflection spreads. It is also small enough to fit into a purse or one of Condren’s larger day planners, also includes a bunch of stickers, and a gorgeous cover—all for an affordable price.

Yunoga Ultra Soft High Waisted Leggings

Finding the perfect pair of lounging pants can be a game changer when it comes to stress relief. These super-cozy leggings from Yunoga are great for hanging around the house and working out, and reviewers claim that they're an affordable alternative to your favorite high-end athletic wear retailers.

Final Verdict

When buying a gift for loved ones with anxiety, it's important to remember that comfort comes first. Aim for low-maintenance, easy-to-use items like the Barefoot Dreams Bathrobe ora coloring book, which will help destress without being too much of a commitment.

What to Look For in a Gift For Someone With Anxiety

Low-maintenance: There's nothing more stressful than an unexpected responsibility, so aim for a gift that requires little care and worry. A golden retriever puppy may seem like a sweet idea for someone dealing with anxiety, but the amount of care required to take care of an animal would likely lead to a lot more worry and stress.

Promotes relaxation: There's a reason why candles, bathrobes, and journals are such popular gifts: they all help promote relaxation and promote self-care. Even if you don't struggle with anxiety or depression, these items make great presents.

Reduces triggers: Some sensations can trigger anxious feelings. Loud noises, for example, have been found to induce anxiety. Gifts that help avoid these triggers—like noise-cancelling headphones—are a great gift option.

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As an internationally recognized health writer and product guru, Leah Groth understands that nobody wants to waste their time or money on products that fail to rear results. Over the years, she has interviewed the world's top health experts and reviewed hundreds of items, to help readers like you discover the most effective health gadgets, goops, and aids that will help you look and feel your very best.