One company that focuses on weighted toys in the Netherlands is DIQIE. “I wanted to do something for kids to improve their quality of life,” says founder Berdian de Wit, who also sells sweatshirts, as well as cuddly toys. “But it has to be something they can actually use. A weighted vest like this is very visible, so it may not be fun for everyone. The cuddly toy looks like all the other cuddly toys, but it’s much heavier. It can be taken to sleep, but it also helps during the day.”
Calming effect
Lovely toys are intended primarily for children. “I focus on kids who have a ‘label’, so to speak, but it’s also for kids who like to be quiet sometimes or feel safe. There are also adults who like that. Me, for example,” she laughs.
Weighted products
In addition to weighted toys, there are also other weighted products that can help calm your mind. There is a weighted vest, a weighted collar, a weighted blanket, and a smaller size blanket. They all have the same function: calming their users.
Deep pressure stimulation
The weight of the hug would reduce the stress hormone. “This is also called deep pressure stimulation,” explains body-oriented therapist and coach Marlos de Boer. She uses a lot of weighting products in her daily work. “Many people with complaints or trauma from overstimulation benefit from this. You experience a kind of gentle pressure that stimulates a feeling of security. Therefore using such a product can have a beneficial effect.”
“Something happens physically to your body,” she continues. “You feel pressure throughout your body. The signal goes to your brain and to your nervous system. There are two branches: the activating branch and the relaxing branch. If you activate the latter, your heart rate decreases, your breathing becomes calm and you relax. You. A beloved toy or blanket can have that effect on a person, from young to old.”
Even though DIQIE’s De Witte fully believes in her product, she still has her wish. “Of course I’m not a doctor,” says De Wit. “So I don’t want to say it has a positive effect on everyone, or that it always solves medical complaints. It works well for some people and not for others. But overall, the sounds I’m hearing are very positive.”
