Holding on tight to your plushies is normal as a child. Those plushies were there for you when you were afraid of the dark, sad and alone, or just needed a friend to act out imaginative stories with. They hold a special place in your heart.

As an adult, though, you might feel a little silly still having your first teddy bear or the cat stuffie you won at the fair, but you don't need to feel that way. Many adults hold onto their childhood friends. There are many reasons to hold onto your stuffed animals, as they provide comfort, safety, and a connection to who you were as a kid and who you are now. There's no shame in holding onto a bit of your past to make the present a little easier.

For a Mood Boost

Some days you might be feeling alone, lacking oxytocin, or what some scientists call "the cuddle hormone." All you need to do is grab your old soft friend and squeeze, and you'll feel a burst of pleasure rush through your body as this simulated cuddle activates the reward center of your brain and generates all the feel-good hormones. If you partake in this mood-booster often enough, you build a form of trust between you and your stuffed animal. If you've been hugging your plushie since childhood, the amount of happy hormones released intensifies because of that high level of trust.

And you wouldn't be the only adult doing this. Studies show that more than 40% of adults hold onto childhood toys. Not only does your brain get the signal to help lift your spirits, but the plush feel of your cherished teddy bear provides a sensory comfort as you hold onto a familiar object, one that you know like the back of your hand.

For Your Mental Health

In moments of uncertainty or high anxiety, an old plushie can be the safe, known place you turn to. Stuffies are considered transitional objects, items that provide comfort during times of change. Along with being great mood-boosters, toys from your childhood are reliable and unchanging: the familiar texture, weight, and smell of your favorite old bunny can be a respite from the constantly shifting world. Adults aren't much different than children, imbuing humanity into non-human objects and using them to escape stressful situations and connect with thoughts outside their current circumstances. With just enough of your humanity in them, your stuffed animals provide social comfort, helping you feel less alone and easing the stressful hormones filling up your brain. 

Getting a good night's sleep is a significant component of mental health, and sleep studies have found that having rituals before bed can help the brain reach REM sleep faster. After enough nights of hugging your favorite tiger and smelling its familiar scent, your brain learns that these are indicators that it's time to shut down. Using a toy from your youth may give you a greater chance of silencing the pre-sleep brain clutter because you associate it with the care you received when you were younger and times when you had fewer responsibilities.

For Reigniting Your Energy

You are most imaginative as a child when reality hasn't set rules and boundaries on what is possible. There are so few demands on you that your brain can run free and as far as it can. Over time, with more wisdom and responsibilities, you can face mental fatigue as you take on every big and small part of day-to-day life. This fatigue can negatively affect everything from job performance to social interactions to self-talk. It can take a lot to shake off the fatigue and reignite the energy you once had as a kid. You can form habits to avoid mental fatigue, but for a quick fix, you can step back into your childhood with your worn-in unicorn. Just talking to your plushie, something you've given a unique voice to and have carried with you your entire life, can wipe away the mental dust once you start to imagine what it would say back.

For a Link to the Past

Often, you may find yourself stuck in the present, focusing on all the complexities that come with growing older. However, something simple can take you back to when you were younger, like a candle that smells like the oranges you picked during a family vacation. For a moment, you feel the joy and excitement of your first big trip enter your body.

Plushies are no different. The nostalgia of holding onto something from childhood can trigger all the feelings of youth and innocence you had back then. Or it could conjure up the comfort you felt holding your stuffed giraffe during a particularly hard time. Remembering simpler times can also put into perspective just how much you've grown as a person, both physically and mentally. Even if you don't physically hold your old friend, having a place of honor for them, whether in the bedroom or somewhere publicly on a shelf, allows you to use your stuffie as a visual cue to reflect on the past.

Getting too stuck in the past can hinder us from moving forward with life, but when used responsibly, nostalgia can have several healthy benefits. Reflecting on positive memories builds your self-esteem and self-worth. By looking at your personal journey, you can apply new and deeper meaning to your present goals. Nostalgia also keeps you grounded, allowing you to live as your authentic self.

Hold Onto Your Plushies

Whether in the comfort of your home, on a flight, or away on a long weekend, your old favorite plushie is a great addition to your adult life. Providing those feel-good hormones that reduce stress and boost your mood, your soft friend can help you remain grounded in who you are and give you the energy you need to face the day. It may feel silly to hold onto something from ten, twenty, or thirty years ago, but nostalgia is a powerful force, and if a plushie got you through tough times, you have every right to hold onto that pal that helped you survive. Age is no reason to let go of something so precious from your younger days.