A lot of adults sleep with stuffed animals every night. Most don’t admit it out of fear they will be ridiculed. But stuffies actually help these people.
Vice has talked to a few people and own authors who all admit they sleep with stuffed animals even now. They say the stuffed animals help them relax and sleep better.
Of course, this is not something they often talk about openly. After all it’s wrong to be an adult and still sleep with stuffed animals, right?
Not quite. For some people having a stuffed animal on their bed is a habit. For others, they do feel better. A study by the UV University Amsterdam shows feeling the touch of someone or something, even a stuffed animal or teddy bear, is beneficial for people and relieves stress.
“It’s a sign of a need,” he said. “If you’re alone in life and you have a big stuffed animal, there’s somebody in bed with you. Sometimes it’s very comforting to cuddle a pillow, and it might not be anything more than that”, says Robert (Bob) Ryan, a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) and Registered Art Therapist (ATR).
He says that as long as the stuffed animal is not impairing or interfering in a person’s ability to live normally, it’s not something to be worried about. And as one survey shows, most people accept the idea. Men do it, too.
So, don’t feel ashamed if you still do sleep with a stuffed animal by your side. Actress Amy Schumer sleeps with six. Stuffed animals have always been more than just toys. And that’s not going to change anytime soon. So, give your favorite stuffie(s) a big hug and be happy.
