Here is what you need to know about the fidget spinner craze
Fidget spinners supposedly relieve anxiety, stress, ADHD and PTSD.
(Web Desk) – Everyone fidgets when they are stressed out. Tapping your fingers, rapidly moving your legs, biting your nails, touching your hair or beard, spinning pens; these are some of the many activities people indulge in when they fidget. So when the anxious human race came upon a cool gadget that spins in their hand while relieving them of stress, it is no wonder that everyone has gone crazy after it, children and adults alike.
Fidget spinners, as the name implies, spin in your hand and allow you to fidget in style. The toy seems like a hybrid between a fan and the top of a triple-headed shaving machine. It has three prongs with a circular pad in the middle that allows you to spin it while holding it with the thumb and index/middle finger of your hand.
The toy has existed for years but was recently launched into popularity due to the plethora of fidget spinner trick and stunt videos on Youtube and Instagram. Manufacturers have claimed that fidget spinners are not just something to play with, but also have health benefits such as relieving stress and anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
According to a report in Forbes.com, the theories regarding benefits of fidget spinners are supported by limited scientific evidence. However, what these theories put forth is that fidgeting occupies parts of your brain that would distract the rest of the brain with random thoughts such as anxious thoughts about the past or the future. Fidgeting thus prevents your mind from remaining occupied in obsessive and unhealthy thoughts.
Another theory is that body movements are an integral part of the thinking and expression process. One simply cannot give a speech, sing a song, or write a long piece by keeping still, because not only would it be downright creepy, it would seem very ‘unnatural’.
Whether the science behind the benefits of a fidget spinner is actually true or not, it will do one no harm to go for a ‘fidget spin’ once in a while. Moreover, fidget spinners are increasingly coming in customised shapes, colours and sizes, and even come in glow-in-the-dark versions. Use it to release your anxieties, or brainlessly play with it, or perform cool tricks with it. Happy fidgeting!
