The Ultimate Mental Health Gift Guide This Holiday Season

• Best when anxious and overwhelmed: Bearaby Weighted Blanket
• Best for getting cozy: Jungmaven Bathrobe
• Best for finding center: Reflect Orb Biofeedback Ball
• Best for quick nutrition: Rootless Nutrition Bites
• Best for big feelings: Cheaper Than Therapy: A Guided Journal
• Best for relaxing: InnoGear Aromatherapy Diffuser
• Best for when you’re hangry: Orgain Nutritional Shakes
• Best for when you need to get away: Soothing Aurora Light Projector
• Best for comfort: Huggable Sloth Heating and Cooling Pad
• Best to tame the chaos: Decluttering Master 3-in-1 Workbook
• Best mood boost for busy people: iFox Portable Bluetooth Shower Speaker
• Best to unwind: Essential Vitamins Vegan Bath Bombs
• Best to scrub the stress away: SheaMoisture Lavender & Wild Orchid Sugar Scrub
• Best to occupy your mind: Lost Ocean: Adult Inky Adventure Coloring Book
• Best for quiet time: Ingooood Rainy Night Walk Wooden Puzzle
• Best to bust the stigma: The Sun Will RiseMental Health Awareness Matters Tee
• Best to find wonder: Reverence Gift Box

While the holidays might be considered the most wonderful time of the year, they can be a difficult time, too. Whether it’s the stress of planning the perfect dinner, or the first holiday without a loved one, it’s a season that can be hard on us all.

That’s exactly why it’s a great time to prioritize your mental health.

If you’re looking for the right gift for yourself or a loved one, these self-care steals are sure to add a little cheer when you need it most.

Our list of recommended products is based on the following factors:

• personal experience
• high ratings of at least 4 or 5 stars
• customer ratings and reviews
• variety of gifts

Pricing guide

• $ = under $25
• $$ = $25–$50
• $$$ = $51–$99
• $$$$ = over $100

Best when anxious and overwhelmed

Bearaby Tree Napper Blanket and Body Pillow

• Price: $$$$

Weighted blankets have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, and this Bearaby weighted blanket is the perfect gift for the chilly winter nights ahead.

After a long day of juggling holiday plans with demanding in-laws, the soothing weight can help you get a good night’s sleep.

Throw in the body pillow, and you’ve got something solid but squishy to snuggle on for support—especially for side sleepers.

The brand suggests choosing a blanket that’s roughly 10 percent of a person’s body weight, so it should only be used on adults to ensure safety. The Tree Napper blanket comes in weights of 15, 20, and 25 pounds.

Best for getting cozy

Jungmaven Bathrobe

• Price: $$$$

Few things say “downtime” as much as as throwing on a fluffy bathrobe.

This french terry bathrobe from Jungmaven feels cozy and luxurious at the same time, and it works as loungewear or for a post-shower towel-off.

All Jungmaven products, including the robe, are made of hemp: a natural fiber that restores balance to environments by cleaning the soil, air, and water.

That means you can feel good about your planetary impact while you get snuggly in this plush little number for a morning brew or an evening wind-down.

Best for finding center

Reflect Orb Biofeedback Ball

• Price: $$$$

If you have a hard time meditating or aren’t sure if you’re doing it right, the Reflect Orb might be your solution.

The squeezable little orb uses biofeedback to measure whether you’re in a state of arousal or calm, showing you in real time with colored lights. Once you get yourself into a relaxed state, the light glows white.

The product also has an accompanying app that tracks your sessions, including how long you practiced and what states of relaxation you reached. Even so, you can do a whole session without even touching your phone.

The orb is a great way to introduce kids to the idea of regulating their nervous systems too.

Best for big feelings

Cheaper Than Therapy Guided Journal

• Price: $

While a journal isn’t a substitute for therapy, this comical Cheaper Than Therapy: Guided Journal will have you laughing out loud while offering a little wisdom along the way.

With thoughtful prompts to get you going, you’ll have a space to process all those pent-up emotions, while giving you some personal insights for the year ahead.

Best for relaxing

InnoGear Aromatherapy Diffuser

• Price: $

This aromatherapy diffuser is definitely a “must” for your wishlist. Diffusers can make your home smell amazing, but that’s not all they’re good for.

Aromatherapy is said to help improve pain levels, relieve stress, and boost mood, making it a great self-care tool. Lavender can be great for sleep, while rose and chamomile could help if you’re feeling the winter blues.

As with any complementary health tool, it’s always a good idea to try out a few options and see what works best for you!

Best for when you’re hangry

Orgain Nutritional Shakes

Price: $

Many of us are guilty of skipping meals, especially when struggling with our mental health. I know when I’ve had bouts of depression, just getting out of bed was a challenge, let alone making sure I was eating often enough.

That’s why it’s always a great idea to have some Orgain nutritional shakes on hand. Whether you’re in a rush or just lacking energy, this quick boost can keep you steady.

Free of all preservatives, gluten, and soy, as well as being vegetarian-friendly, these nutritional shakes are a really great option.

With Amazon, you can even set up a recurring order so that they’re delivered to you regularly. I get a case delivered to me every single month, and it’s saved me on the many mornings when I’ve slept through my alarm.

Best for when you need to get away

Soothing Aurora Light Projector

• Price: $$

Sometimes you just need an escape after elbowing your way through a crowded mall.

This soothing aurora light projector can turn any room into a beautiful light show, bringing the Northern Lights into your bedroom or turning a playroom into an underwater experience. It can also play music for an added effect!

Best for comfort

Huggable Sloth Heating and Cooling Pad

• Price: $$

Heating and cooling pads are great for tending to any aches and pains you might have. This huggable sloth heating and cooling pad is even better, because it doubles as a cuddly friend.

Just pop your Huggable Sloth Heating and Cooling Pad into the microwave or freezer (yes, this is the one instance when microwaving a sloth is appropriate), and apply it to the affected area for 20 minutes or so.

Bonus: It can also warm your feet up on those freezing winter nights!

Best to tame the chaos

Decluttering Mastery Workbook

• Price: $

Parents especially will appreciate the Decluttering Mastery Workbook. The holidays inevitably mean accumulating more stuff, which means more clutter, too. This workbook walks you through how to organize your home step-by-step, and includes checklists, worksheets, schedules, and labels to help you out along the way.

If you’re intimidated by a mess and don’t know where to start, this workbook makes the process a lot easier. Give yourself the gift of a more organized life to kick off the new year!

Best mood boost for busy people

Bluetooth Shower Speaker

• Price: $$

If you think you don’t have the time to fit in a little self-care into your day, think again!

By placing a Bluetooth shower speaker in your shower, you can enjoy uplifting music, a fun podcast, or a guided meditation while your leave-in conditioner is doing its thing.

While a typical showerhead can drown out the sound coming from your phone, this speaker comes into the shower with you, making the audio crystal clear for you to enjoy.

Connect it with your phone, laptop, or another Bluetooth-enabled device, and you’ll build a little more happiness into your day without sacrificing a single minute of your busy schedule.

Best to unwind

Essential Vitamins (Vegan) Bath Bombs

• Price: $

It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that warm baths can do wonders for our bodies. A warm bath may improve breathing, lower blood pressure, burn calories, and even protect you from illness and infection.

Adding a bath bomb to the mix is even better. Combine that warm bath with some vitamin E, and you’ve got a moisturizing bath that can help nourish your dry, winter skin!

These essential vitamins vegan bath bombs, which include vitamin E essential oils, are the perfect addition for a spa night that your skin will almost certainly appreciate.

Best for scrubbing the stress away

SheaMoisture Lavender & Orchid Sugar Scrub

• Price: $

Speaking of skin, SheaMoisture Lavender & Wild Orchid Sugar Scrub is your best friend when it comes to the crisp winter air.

Exfoliation can leave your skin looking brighter, improve the efficacy of your other skin products, prevent clogged pores, and increase collagen production overtime, leading to more vibrant skin.

Lavender is especially great, as it’s thought to potentially improve sleep, anxiety, and even menstrual cramps. Put them together, and you’ve got a scrub that your body and mind can both enjoy.

Best to keep your mind occupied

Lost Ocean: An Adult Inky Adventure & Coloring Book

• Price: $

Mindful coloring is popular these days, and for good reason.

As part of art therapy, it can reduce stress and anxiety, becoming a healthy coping tool for a hectic day (or week). It also makes an amazing gift, either to yourself or a loved one.

This Lost Ocean: Adult Inky Adventure & Coloring Book is easily one of the best, too.

Not only is the artwork beautiful and soothing, but it also includes “hidden object” games throughout the pages to keep things interesting.

Best when you need some quiet time

Ingooood Rainy Night Walk Wooden Puzzle

• Price: $

Do puzzles have health benefits? Absolutely. Puzzles are great for brain health, especially in older adults. It can also be a soothing activity, distracting us from the stress of everyday life.

When things get hectic as the holiday season approaches, take time to slow down.

Pull out a puzzle—like this Ingooood Rainy Night Walk Wooden Puzzle, make yourself some hot cocoa (cocoa has health benefits, too!), and remember to breathe.

Best to bust the stigma

The Sun Will Rise Mental Health Awareness Tee

• Price: $

For some, it can be empowering to speak up about mental health. If that describes you or someone that you know, this mental health awareness tee is for them.

It reads: “The sun will rise and we will try again tomorrow.” It’s an encouraging reminder that we aren’t defined by our bad days, and that doing our best to cope with life’s ups and downs is more than enough.

The more we speak out about mental health, the more we can normalize these conditions that touch us all! And inspiring that kind of hope — especially in someone who needs it — is an incredible gift to give.

Best to find wonder

Reverence Gift Box

• Price: $$$

Reconnect to the wonder of life with this beautifully-printed full-color, 160-page hardback book and matching journal.

Learn to imbue life with ritual, from making a meditation space to creating your own ceremonies to signify meaningful life events.

The kit also comes with a vegan candle scented with the soothing, uplifting aroma of rose, oud, clove, and lemon, along with a decorative matchbox so you don’t have to hunt for a lighter.

Crack the book, light a flame, and settle into reverence.

Ultimately, mental health is a personal journey for each and every one of us.

These gifts can help meet the unique needs of you or someone you love who needs a little mental health the holiday.

While presents aren’t a substitute for mental health treatment and support, showing you care with a little something can be a healing act—even if you’re gifting to yourself!

Sam Dylan Finch is a leading advocate in LGBTQ+ mental health, having gained international recognition for his blog, Let’s Queer Things Up!, which first went viral in 2014. As a journalist and media strategist, Sam has published extensively on topics like mental health, transgender identity, disability, politics and law, and much more. Bringing his combined expertise in public health and digital media, Sam currently works as social editor at Healthline.