Good hygiene is an important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle through cleanliness. What most people do not understand is that hygiene is more than bathing and brushing your teeth. Bad hygiene can be a cozy spot for diseases and harmful bacteria to get comfortable. You can touch multiple things a day and carry that bacteria with you on your hands and clothes. Going home to where you rest your head, and not following proper procedures to ensure healthy hygiene can result in that bacteria spreading around your home and any other areas you visit. This could lead to different diseases and viruses being spread because they are not being disinfected.
Being a restless college student could cause many to see hygiene as a minor issue and put off that necessary part of their health. The harsh reality is, it is minor until it isn’t. Being sick or ill is never fun, especially for a busy student who has multiple responsibilities a day. To avoid bigger issues in the long run, here’s a list of simple tasks that go a long way for healthy hygiene.
- Take baths/showers twice a day
Bathing helps get rid of bodily odor or bacteria among the skin. While taking showers in the morning is beneficial, after a day full of activities you have different germs all over you again. Instead of going straight to bed at night, take another shower or bath to ensure you are avoiding contaminating your living space.
- Brush your teeth twice a day
Brushing your teeth helps remove food and plaque from your mouth. Plaque is a white substance that forms on your teeth, creating bacteria that can produce acids that attack tooth enamel. Oral care includes brushing the teeth, flossing, and brushing your tongue and gums.
- Wash your hands
Handwashing with soap and warm water kills bacteria and eliminates it from being passed on to another person. People touch multiple things a day, leaving many chances for germs to spread. Washing your hands frequently throughout the day helps minimize the chances of spreading diseases or viruses.
- Change clothes frequently
Jason Tetro, microbiology researcher, and author of “The Germ Files” told Healthline that when people have clothes on, they shed 37 million microorganisms every hour. People can obtain various bacteria and viruses from others at work, school, stores, or on public transportation and bring them home.
Written by: Kayla Pool
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/change-clothes-to-get-rid-of-germs#6
