US EditionAdults can sleep with stuffed animals, too. It might even be a good thing, experts say
- Plush sales grew during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2024, Circana reported that 21% of plush toys were sold to adults over 18.
- More than half of people have held onto a childhood stuffed animal, with about 40% reporting they sleep with a plush toy, suggesting a potential need for comfort, especially in the face of uncertainty.
- Experts like Dr. Jessica Lamar, a mental health therapist in Seattle who uses stuffed animals with adults working through trauma, and Dr. Jade Wu, a sleep psychologist and founder of Thrive Sleep Clinic in Durham, North Carolina, agree that stuffed animals can provide gentleness and self-soothing benefits for anyone.
- Dr. Wu stated that "We evolved to live in tribes and to have a village," suggesting that using a stuffed animal at night might be meeting evolutionary needs, and there is research indicating that weighted blankets can help calm the mind and body, similar to some weighted stuffed animals.
- While experts generally agree that there is nothing wrong with adults having or sleeping with stuffed animals, as they can provide nostalgia and connections to loved ones, Dr. Barbara Greenberg cautions that it could be problematic if individuals use them to avoid addressing underlying issues, and Dr. Lamar notes that issues might arise if someone becomes severely distressed when separated from their stuffed animal.
Insights by Ground AI
Does this summary seem wrong?
32 Articles
32 Articles
All
Left
2
Center
29
Right
Coverage Details
Total News Sources32
Leaning Left2Leaning Right0Center29Last UpdatedBias Distribution94% Center
Bias Distribution
- 94% of the sources are Center
94% Center
C 94%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
Ownership
To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage
