Research has begun to show that fidgeting can help people of all ages to be more active, improve concentration – and maybe even live longer (BBC News, August 2023).

As we’ve become more sedentary, we’ve learned to suppress our need to move – a risk factor cited in numerous chronic conditions and diseases. Theorists have recently begun to describe a Fidget Factor – the innate impulse to move in a rhythmic way. Some research has even shown that people who fidget may have lower rates of mortality.

Will a simply owning fidget toy make you live better? Unlikely. But it might just remind you that even little movements add up to a healthier lifestyle.

More focus, less stress, longer life.

Countless news articles have shared how schools and mental health professionals use fidgets to help kids who struggle with attention and focus. But fidgeting isn’t just for kids.

Our modern, information-based society brings plenty of stress and loads of distractions. We all know that when we’re stressed it’s hard to focus. And when we’re trying to process all the information we’re bombarded with on a daily basis, it makes everything a bit worse.

Much of our ability to focus has to do with the amount of neurotransmitters in our brains – specifically dopamine and norepinephrine. John Ratey, M.D., author of Spark, has described ways that even small movements (like fidgeting) can sharpen focus and attention (ADDitude Magazine, May 2024).

When used intentionally in mindfulness practice, fidget toys can also help us to slow down and decrease stress. If we agree that too much stress can make you age faster, a mindful moment with a fidget toy could just be the key to the fountain of youth.