An Unexpected Benefit to Face Masks: Less Anxiety

If you have social anxiety, wearing a face mask can actually feel like a relief, experts say. A Polish study published in May examined the psychological and behavioral responses to mask-wearing and found that masking resulted in lower levels of anxiety and “might reinforce people’s sense of personal control and… mitigate helplessness and moderate anxiety,” the study’s authors wrote. “The presence of a bit of fabric obscuring the face could potentially improve mental well-being, they suggested,” writes Allie Volpe. Read more below.