Jewelry and chocolates might be the go-to gifts for moms, but as someone who works in healthcare, you may prefer an item with more of a health bent. Sure, workout clothes and a yoga mat always work, but how about something a bit more creative?

Need some ideas? Never fear: We’ve come up with six interesting, inventive gifts to help keep the mother in your life healthy and going strong.

1. Weighted Blanket
   Weighted blankets have been used in therapeutic settings for people with autism or behavioral issues for years, and now they’re making their way into the mainstream for their purported ability to help with sleep. While research supporting their effectiveness is lacking, experts at Harvard Health say that weighted blankets may help with insomnia and/or anxiety for certain people, similar to how swaddling helps calm and soothe some babies.¹
   
   Considering the negative health effects linked to sleep deficiency — including an increased risk of depression, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease and stroke, among others — why not give a weighted blanket a try? It may provide just the gentle, soothing, sleep-inducing hug the mom in your life needs and deserves.²
   
   
2. Vegetable Garden
   If the woman in question is a fan of the outdoors, why not consider building her a vegetable garden? Not only will she ramp up her production of bone-healthy vitamin D while tending to her plants, but she’ll also get to enjoy the fruits of her labor with mouth-watering, just-picked produce.³ Plus, don’t forget that home-grown produce is less expensive than store-bought, and raising her own crops means she can control the fertilizers and pest-control techniques that are used on them.
   
   Don’t have room for a full-fledged garden? If you’ve got some direct sun and a balcony, you can still take advantage of fresh produce: Just plant the seedlings in pots rather than the ground. Even a sunny window can fill the bill for small pots of herbs.
   
   Extra points if you include a good pair of gardening gloves, a sun hat and sunscreen with your gift!
   
   

   
   
   

3. Cold Press Juicer
   You know the cornucopia of fresh produce we just mentioned? None of it needs to go to waste with a juicer in the house. Plus, research has shown potential benefits to juicing, including that it may help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, lower blood pressure, improve lipid levels and lower the risk of heart disease.^4,5
   
   Plus, juicing is a great way to sneak some extra greens into the diets of those who are vegetable-averse. Just be sure to go heavier on the veggies, and lighter on the fruit, to keep the sugar content in check. Also process the whole fruit, rather than extracting just the juice, to gain even more nutritional benefits.^4,6
   
   
4. Homemade Gift Certificates
   Whether they grant naptime, workout time or items to be completed on the “honey-do” list, gift certificates are a fun gift for the mom in your life. (If there are kids in the mix, don’t forget to include childcare, if appropriate, with each certificate.)
   
   
5. Head-to-Toe Massage
   In addition to being uber relaxing and stress-relieving, massage can help reduce pain, improve circulation, boost energy and alertness, lower blood pressure and heart rate, and improve immune function, the Mayo Clinic reports.⁷ Plus, it just feels so darned good — so good, in fact, that you might want to consider booking one for yourself, too!
   
   
6. Subscription to Zooma Run
   With its aim to help women in their journey to health and wellness, the Zooma Women’s Race Series offers run clubs, challenges, training plans and organized races for women everywhere. It even hosts an annual Run Like a Mother 5K (though this year’s will be a virtual run). Visit https://zoomarun.com for information.

Chauffeur, chef, house manager, nurturer: The mom in your life inevitably fills a lot of roles — and often without a lot of fanfare. Doesn’t she deserve something special just for her? Whether for Mother’s Day, or any other day for that matter, these gifts will keep her feeling as important as she is.