The way you touch your face is related to your emotions

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When we are sad we cover our face, when we feel anxiety or worry we scratch our forehead, eyebrows, chin… The face is that space that our hands look for when emotions attack us.

You may not be aware of it, but the way you touch your face is related to your emotions. You put your hand to your forehead when you’re surprised or worried. You cover your face when anguish, sadness and even despair invade you. Who most and who least has a tic when their nerves attack them; Some scratch their nose, others their eyebrows or chin…

We are emotional beings and this part of our body seems to be the preferred territory in which to release tension. Not only is the face the mirror of the soul and the reflection of what we feel, it is also that part that our hands constantly search for. We need to touch and also touch each other.

Somehow, the brain establishes a connection with the forehead, cheeks, eyes, chin and mouth to calm us. It is done by small children who need to put their thumb in their mouth when they are tired, stressed or bored. Even adults do it when we take that pen or pencil to nibble on when our nerves attack us…

“Of all the senses, sight is the most superficial; the ear, the proudest; the sense of smell, the most voluptuous; taste, the most superstitious and fickle; the touch, the deepest.”

-Denis Diderot-

Touching our cheeks, forehead or temples is a way to find relief when we are nervous, irritated or worried.

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The link between touch and emotions

It may seem striking to you, but no part of our body receives as many types of contact as our face. We rest our face on our hand when we think. There are those who cannot avoid touching their pimples or scratching their eyebrows almost unconsciously while reflecting, reading or studying. Some cover their eyes when they feel afraid, and others do the same when they feel ashamed.

David J. Linden, professor of neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, wrote an interesting book on the subject. In Touch: the science of hand, heart, and mind explains how touch has a direct link with emotions. We need to touch others to establish bonds, promote children’s development and validate feelings..

However, we cannot exclude one aspect. Human beings also need to touch themselves to channel and express their feelings.. And the face, the way we touch our face, has a direct relationship with what we feel at every moment.

Touch also speaks

Joe Navarro is a well-known former FBI agent and supervisor who has become very popular with his books on non-verbal communication. Titles like The body speaks2012) are a reference in this field. Something that points out to us in his work is that The brain has a whole arsenal of escape routes when it experiences an emotion..

Human behavior analysts know that the way we touch our face reveals a feeling, an emotion, a concern. So much so that many police officers or security guards at airports know who to search based on this type of gesture.

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An example, When someone is worried or worried, they tend to touch their face with their index finger or thumb.. The brain prefers the touch of those fingers that have wider tips when we are thinking. So much so that when we are overcome with intense worry or feel frustrated, we tend to scratch either our cheek or our forehead.

Stress situations demand more dynamic movements, and the face is also that surface in which the hands seek to channel tension.

The Merkel nerves in our fingers

The way you touch your face is related to your emotions and the mechanism that mediates this process is the Merkel nerves. Research from the University of Cincinnati indicates that The fingers and face have a family of nerves essential to discriminate textures, shapes, pressures, etc..

Now, these sensory systems are also a way of emotional expression for the brain. The Merkel nerves in the face and fingertips are frequently touched as a means of channeling emotions.

Let’s take an example. We have an important appointment and when we enter the subway car, it suddenly stops because there is a breakdown. We get nervous and start scratching our chin, our forehead… The brain needs these sensations to channel stress and have a basic relaxation resource.

People use multiple relaxing or pacifying resources in our non-verbal communication. Touching or scratching our face is an example of this.

Read others through how they touch their faces

Non-verbal communication is a fascinating topic, there is no doubt. Now, it is true that until now we looked at aspects such as the movement of the hands or arms, tone of voice, gestures, shoulders, etc. It is also worth taking into account the way in which others touch their faces.