000002_en_GL_NIV_Purpose_11_2020_Digital_LP_StoryStage_Twins_2560_1298

Touch saved my life

Discover their story

The power of human touch in photos

Discover his story

CARE FOR HUMAN TOUCH TO INSPIRE TOGETHERNESS

These days, the pace of everyday life, more virtual connections, and the coronavirus pandemic are getting in the way of human touch and making us feel lonely and isolated. With this #CareForHumanTouch initiative, we want to raise awareness and inspire everyone to include more human touch in everyday life! That’s why NIVEA supports skin-touch projects that improve the quality of life for people at risk of loneliness.

EFFECTS OF TOUCH

What Happens to Our bodies When We Are Touched?


1

Heart rate is calmed and blood pressure normalizes


2

Symptoms of anxiety or depression are reduced


3

The level of stress hormones decreases


4

Level of feel-good hormones increases and the immune system is strengthened

“This is a traumatic time and the virus is not a game. We will still get back to physical touch once we can, because connecting through touch is in our nature.”
Prof. Dr. Tzipi Strauss

Prof. Dr. Tzipi Strauss

Specialist in pediatrics and neonatology

The Power of Touch Is Scientifically Proven

Touch Helps Ease Dementia-Related Agitation

The result of 163 studies involving nearly 25,000 patients is that multidisciplinary care, massage, and touch therapy were more effective than treating patients with traditional antipsychotic drugs.

Skin-To-Skin Touch Helps Premature Babies Thrive

The study offers added evidence that if a premature baby is medically stable, the age-old practice of holding the tiny child – skin to skin, heartbeat to heartbeat – might well do some good. As a survey of more than 100 previous studies, it found that overall, the skin-to-skin cradling widely known as “kangaroo mother care” may cut a premature, low-birth-weight baby’s risk of death by 36 percent.

Loneliness Study

A study of older Britons found that loneliness was twice as unhealthy as obesity, and that lonely people aged 50 and older were twice as likely to die as their nonlonely peers. Given their increased risk for both loneliness as well as age-related health problems, older people need more touch – not less.

Touch in Sports

A US ethological study coded the touch behavior of players from the National Basketball Association (NBA) during the 2008–2009 season. Consistent with hypotheses, early-season touch predicted greater performance for both individuals and teams later in the season.

Be Inspired

There are many ways to add more human touch to your world. Why not start today with one of them?
Global Report

The State of Human Touch

Every year, NIVEA conducts a worldwide survey with over 11,000 people. One impressive finding: Many people experience hardly any physical touch. And the Covid-19 pandemic has made this worse.

Global rates of approval:
“No physical contact at all the day before the interview.“
“Two friends in a café. Number of touches in England: zero. In the USA: two times. In Puerto Rico: 180 times.”

Sidney M. Jourard

Psychologist
Nonverbal Communication

The International Language of Touch

Of course, being touched by people with friendly intent can be either a pleasant or invasive experience. And although touch is a universal language and the first that we learn, there are some differences around the globe. For example, the following:

CURRENT TOPICS

THE LONELINESS EPIDEMIC

Millennials are most connected – and lonely.
But there is a way out! Interview with Derrick Feldmann about loneliness, where it comes from and how we can help to prevent it.

DID YOU KNOW ...

EVERY SECOND PERSON

says that physical touch is not a daily occurance in their life

6 OUT OF 10

miss touch very much and want to make up for it after the crisis

3 OUT OF 4

realised during isolation how important physical touch is for their health

9 OUT OF 10

feel lonely when lacking human touch

EVERY SECOND PERSON

say that the isolation has made them feel lonelier than ever before

9 OUT OF 10

say that lack of human touch makes them feel lonely even if they have many contacts on social networks