Thorough handwashing is essential for preventing viral infections like COVID-19, but avoiding touching your face is just as critical—and far more challenging to master.
Observe how often you unconsciously touch your face; it happens more than you realize, heightening your risk of infection. While handwashing habits are easier to build, unlearning face-touching requires deliberate effort.
Read also: ‘Washing hands as it should be‘
A 2015 study of 23 students found they touched their faces an average of 23 times per hour, with 44% of touches targeting the mouth, nose, or eyes—prime entry points for pathogens.
Face touching, particularly near mucous membranes, allows bacteria and viruses to enter your body easily, increasing infection chances.
Here are expert-backed strategies to curb unnecessary face touching:
Start by raising awareness: note when, how, and why you touch your face, whether rubbing eyes or lips. Self-monitoring is the first step to change.
Idle hands wander to your face, especially while watching TV or reading. Combat this by holding a stress ball, fidget spinner, or similar item to keep them engaged.
Disrupt the habit by adding discomfort, like wearing fingerless gloves while leaning on your hands at a desk. Research shows women touch their faces less with makeup on. For nail-biters, apply bitter-tasting polish.
Place Post-it notes on your screen saying 'Hands off your face!' and enlist colleagues to gently call you out.
Face touching often signals stress. Incorporate mindfulness, deep breathing, or meditation to stay relaxed and minimize nervous habits.
Source: HuffingtonPost.com
