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Updated Wed, September 17, 2025 at 2:30 PM UTC
30 thoughtful gifts for people with anxiety for stress relief and self-care
If you don’t have anxiety, it’s very possible that you have a friend, sibling, child, parent or even a coworker who does. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than 31% of U.S. adults experience an anxiety disorder at some time in their lives, and about 1 in 5 had any anxiety disorder in the past year. That’s a lot of people dealing with feelings that can run the gamut from restlessness and irritability to excessive worry and dread, and are looking for ways to manage them.
The upcoming holiday season can trigger a lot of emotions for anxious folks — lots of socializing! family drama! financial stress! — that can leave them feeling exhausted and wrung-out before the season even starts. But for that very reason, it’s also a good time of year to surprise them with a gift to help them cope.
As someone who was diagnosed Generalized Anxiety Disorder several years ago, I know what it’s like to live with anxiety. Even more importantly, I know what it’s like to live with and manage the symptoms of anxiety. Over the years, I’ve unearthed several tried-and-true tools to help me handle my anxiety as well as researched many more that others out there swear by. Trust that the recommendations below have been thoughtfully sourced and researched, all from the point of view of a someone who knows what it’s like to have anxiety firsthand.
From a weighted blanket for a good night’s sleep and a ring designed for fidgeters, to the art form that’s perfect for those who need to keep their hands moving, there are so many thoughtful and genuinely delightful gift ideas out there for people with anxiety that are worth gifting this holiday season.
The Renpho eye massager is a powerful addition to anyone’s self-care routine, but especially those who’ve been under a lot of stress. It’s an eye mask and massager that provides targeted relief for migraines and eye strain. It offers heat, vibration, massage, compression, and even music to help provide a bit of sensory deprivation for those who need it.
It secures to your face with an adjustable strap, while the mask itself it surrounded by cushioned fabric and gently massages your temples.
Everyone gets headaches once in a while, but if their anxiety manifests in the form of migraines, they’ll appreciate this hot and cold therapy migraine relief cap. Store it in the freezer, and pull it out when you feel an especially bad headache coming on. It’s light-blocking and compressive, two things every migraine sufferer knows is essential to fighting off a bad one.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you’ve got a busy schedule or a long list of to-dos. A calendar like the Cozyla — that syncs to the calendars you already use on your phone or computer — will keep track of all the tasks, deadlines, and appointments for you and your loved ones. It can bring order and structure to everyday life, which helps manage anxiety triggers.
Anxious people know that sometimes you need to tune out the world around you to get out of your own head, which is exactly what you can do with the noise cancelling feature on these headphones. It drowns out surrounding noise and distractions — perfect for working from, during your commute or in a bustling office.
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Jewelry that’s made for fidgeting? Say no more. This spinner ring is made for folks who can’t seem to keep their hands still. It’s made with silver rings that glide through your fingers, creating a soothing sensation that helps melt away stress and worries.
Getting a good night’s sleep can make a massive difference for those who are always stressed. An easy way to fix your sleep routine? A good pillow.
“This is, hands-down, the best pillow that’s ever been in my home,” says Kate Ellsworth, our shopping editor. It’s filled with shreds of memory foam latex (the same that’s used in Naturepedic’s mattresses) and can be adjusted based on your sleeping style.
If they’re always complaining about being cold, an electric blanket may be the best possible gift. This one comes in five sizes (from twin to king), so they can use it as a throw blanket or full comforter. It has six heat settings and an auto shut-off so you can sleep easy at night, too.
Know a person who’s juggling appointments, track meets, play dates, and work calls? The Skylight calendar can help them keep everyone on track, syncing calendars from all different apps into one central place that the entire household can quickly access.
Gift them a Soothe gift card so they can book an on-demand massage, facial, hair appointment, nail appointment or other beauty service — right to their door. Appointments are available daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. so they can book at whatever time works best for them. It’s an especially thoughtful way of gifting an anxious new mom some time to treat herself, but without needing her to leave the house and be far from baby.
These days many people reach for modern solutions to insomnia like supplements and special ASMR playlists, but there’s a simple old-school solution we recommend: the original Dohm Classic sound machine, which has been helping lull people to sleep since 1962. Rather than playing white noise sounds on a digital loop, this machine makes white noise the old fashioned way: using a real fan. But don’t worry — the fan creates white noise without producing chilly air.
Finally, a paint-by-numbers set that you’ll actually want to hang in your house once completed. Choose from 12 bold and contemporary paintings that come complete with everything you need to get started: a pre-printed canvas, acrylic paint pots, nylon paintbrushes, a postcard-sized color guide and even wall-hanging accessories. The completed painting is 16×20 inches, perfect for displaying in a living room or kitchen.
During a bad anxiety attack, all I wanna do is bury myself in a large sweatshirt and forget the world. This one comes highly recommended by our shopping writer, Camryn, who says it’s just as good as the one Lululemon sells (but a fraction of the price).
It’s true — plants do make people happy. So why not gift them the ability to add a new houseplant to their space? With a gift card to The Sill, they can purchase a new plant for their home, from a Money Tree plant to bring good fortune or even a coffee plant to fuel their caffeine addiction.
There’s almost nothing better for stress and anxiety than spending time in nature. With this smart bird feeder, you can bring nature to them so they can watch and learn about the birds in their own backyard. Birdfy will automatically capture images and video with the professional grade camera of birds and notify you instantly. Identify and learn about the birds in your garden with a free one-month subscription to the corresponding identification app.
Relieve tension and melt away stress with Amazon’s No. 1 best-selling foot massager. This deep-kneading shiatsu foot massager has two adjustable intensity levels and three massage modes that boost the blood circulation and reduce muscle stiffness in your soles and feet. The warmth feature can be turned on or off.
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If paint-by-numbers isn’t your thing, this diamond art kit might be your new favorite meditative pastime. These kits come with a canvas that’s clearly designed with readable symbols for corresponding diamond colors. The process is meticulously, cathartic and relaxing, which is why it’s an especially good gift idea for folks with anxiety.
“These take a super long time to complete but they’re gorgeous!” wrote one reviewer. “They keep my hands moving and help with anxiety. I’m excited to hang them in my room.”
Elix is an herbal remedy brand that sells Chinese herbal remedies with different purposes. The Bloom in Harmony Bundle combines the brand’s best-selling Daily Harmony supplement (which claims to support sleep and balance mood) and The Qi herbal tea (which claims to enhance stress resilience and calm the mind). If you’ve got someone who could benefit from a little extra stress relief, this combo could do just the trick. (We always recommend checking with your doctor before starting any new supplement.)
“I personally like to travel to another world when my anxiety is high,” says AOL Commerce Director Katelyn Mullen, who recommends a subscription to Audible for book lovers. With this three-month subscription, they’ll receive a credit for a new audio book every 30 days. It’s a great gift for new parents and those who have a long commute.
A few years ago I wrote about how weighted blankets give me my best sleep, even at my most anxious. And it’s still true today. While most weighted blankets are weighed down with glass or plastic beads to provide the Deep Touch Pressure (DTP) therapy they’re known for, these are designed with a weighted, open-knit that keeps you cool and comfortable while you sleep.
Choose from cream or gray in 10- or 15-pound weights.
Body Back
If they suffer from tension headaches or find it hard to unwind after a long day, this scalp massager might help. Many reviews say it “feels amazing” and that they would “highly recommend” it.
OURA
The Oura Ring is a health tracker that your giftee can wear 24/7. If your giftee wants to keep an eye on their sleep quality and daily stress levels, this ring will do the trick — and so much more. It’s beloved by our shopping editor Kate and our shopping writer Camryn, but Cam warns it’s not great for those with health anxiety if they start to become obsessive over their stats.
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If they’re too long distance for you to deliver some homemade baked treats, Killer Brownie’s 6-pack of Brookies is probably the next best thing. It’s a thoughtful way to let someone know you’re thinking of them. It’s one of the best cookies our editors have ever tested, with one of our testers giving it a score of 10,000/10.
If they’re feeling some aches, pains and stress, a portable neck and back massager is a thoughtful gift idea that you know they’ll put to good use. This one comes with heated functions that provide deep kneading massage where they need it most.
This art supply kit includes three sketchbooks, graphite, charcoal, watercolor and metallic pencils, markers, colored pencils and all of the accessories one could need to practice some meditative art therapy.
This book is a coloring book-slash-anxiety journal, perfect for those moments when your giftee needs a minute of calmness. They can keep it at their desk or near their bedside, wherever they want to process their daily thoughts.
A well-made robe is something they’ll use for years. These “super plush” robes from Brooklinen that are made with 100% Turkish cotton feature deep pockets, cuffed edges and a piped collar. Best of all, it keeps its fluffy feel even after dozens of washes — speaking from personal experience!
For your child, parent or best friend who needs a little encouragement on tough days, this engraved bracelet can provide comfort when they need it. Choose from silver, gold or rose gold finishes and 10 different engraving options — though the anxiety one is our personal favorite.
Because sometimes all you need to do to ease your anxiety is to make a list and check it twice. At 9-by-7 inches, this mini lined and perforated notebook from Ban.do is the perfect size to keep on your desk or to toss into your bag when you’re on-the-go. It has a double-side pocket page, special centerfold pages and metal wire-o binding to keep it all together.
Use this journal to improve your overall mindfulness by uncovering your triggers, tracking physical and emotional responses and documenting your worries. You’ll ultimately walk away with the tools to help you feel more in control with more constructive ways of thinking about the world around you.
A new pair of slippers can keep your giftee’s toes warm and cozy — and help them stay calm during moments of high stress. The Bombas Women’s Sunday Slippers are the best we’ve ever tested thanks to their comfort, support, and ease of slipping on and off.
Most folks with anxiety know that one thing they can do to make their anxiety easier is to ease up on the caffeine. Whether they’re a long-time tea lover or are making the switch to lower caffeine alternatives, this six month tea subscription box lets them indulge in a new blend each month for six months. Choose from classic, single-origin teas, non-caffeinated blends. wellness blends or explore a little bit of everything.
If you have any questions about this piece — or you just wanna chat about your favorite products you think we should check out — send us an email at shopping.editors@aol.com and we’ll write you back!
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