All the things around you have something to do with your sense of touch. Hence, the heat from the sun rays, the cold breeze brought by the storm, the rough book covers from the attic, your soft long hair, and even the fluffiness of your teddy bear in your bed. Are you curious about how your sense of touch works? Here are nine important facts that might interest you!
1. Skin
Just like what your grade teacher has taught you, the skin is the largest organ in the human body. Hence, the skin is made up of several layers that function differently. Also, the somatosensory system is responsible for every sensation that we feel. Additionally, it has a lot of nerve endings and touches receptors.
The skin is important because:
- It protects you from heat and cold.
- Skin covers your bones and muscles.
- Your skin protects you from the environment.
2. Sense Receptors
Did you know that your skin has many sense receptors that function to respond to various sensations? Yes, that is right! Hence, there are six different receptors in your skin.
Sense of touch examples includes:
- You can feel heat and coldness.
- It is easier to say it’s smooth or rough.
- You can tell if something is sharp or not.
- You can feel if it’s wet or dry.
3. Nerve Endings
Furthermore, when your skin gets close to something, your nerve endings automatically send the information to your spinal cord that goes to your brain. Also, there are different functions of nerve endings, but here are some:
- Your nerves recognize the temperature.
- Also, nerves can feel pain.
- Your nerves can sense the environment.
4. Affection
Apart from feeling something hot, cold, wet, or dry, your sense of touch is also important to show affection. Since we were babies, our source of comfort is the touch of our parents. Hence, studies say that a lack of it may result in bad behaviors.
Affection can help by:
- You may reduce stress levels.
- One may improve your learning.
- You may reduce your anxiety.
- You may improve heart health.
5. Reach Out and Touch
Sense of touch for kids is needed because it helps them to build socio-emotional learning. Therefore, they need to experience touching people and things to learn. However, failure to do so may end up children growing so distant and ignorant about their surroundings.
Here’s how a sense of touch for kids developed:
- cradling on the floor
- hugging people
- play with others
- paint or draw
6. Touch-blind
Believe it or not, you will find that touch-blind is true! Do you realize how difficult it is? Hence, it is probably experienced by people who are suffering from a disorder called primary sensory neuropathy.
The effects of this disorder include:
- You may experience numbness.
- One may experience burning pain.
- You may have excessive sweating.
7. First to Develop
Furthermore, at eight weeks, the first sense to develop in a human fetus is the sense of touch. Also, it is the first one since it serves as the primary source of our understanding. Afterward, other parts of the body will be on the 14th week.
8. Communication
Moreover, touch is a non-verbal communication that we use to relay messages to other people. Maybe you don’t realize it yet, but just like the other example, it shows affection or gives people hints.
Other sense of touch examples you use to communicate when:
- You want people to feel loved.
- People want to give comfort.
- You want to help them out.
9. Protect It
You see, your skin plays a vital role in your body and daily life. Hence, it holds your muscles and bones. therefore, take care of your skin so it can protect you from the sun and avoid complications like rashes and allergies.
Below are the ways how can you protect your skin:
- It is good to use sunscreen to protect it from the sun.
- Always drink lots of water.
- Never forget to take a bath daily.
- Also, it is important to be cautious with reflection.
- You should wear hats, long sleeves, and sunglasses.
