Just breathe... Can what we wear affect how we feel and focus?

When life feels like a lot, sometimes the comforts we can control - make a big difference. Including what we choose to wear.

November is here.

It's getting colder, the flu is doing its merry rounds, and you just know you're next. If it hasn't got you already.

Meanwhile, the cost of living keeps going up, Christmas is creeping closer, and the news seems to find new ways to make us worry every day. Even cyberattacks have made it onto my list of things to think about lately.

It's a lot, right?

And I know I'm far from alone in feeling this way.

We spend so much energy worrying about things we can't really control. And somewhere in all that noise, it's easy to lose sight of what really matters.

Our health. The people we love. The small, ordinary moments that make life feel good.

And simply feeling at home in our own bodies.

When being in the flow means forgetting to breathe

One of my favourite things is getting completely lost in a good work flow.

Especially a creative one.

Nothing is better than forgetting about time and everything around you because you're so absorbed in what you're doing. Designing clothes, writing, creating a presentation or even (dare I say it) accounting. 🙈

The downside?

I sometimes get so focused that I practically forget to breathe!

So lately I've started making a conscious effort to take a few proper, deliberate breaths throughout my working day. Just a few seconds to stop, reconnect with my body and remind myself that I'm OK.

No time-consuming rituals. Just a little more awareness. Every day.

And it has made me reflect on the other small things that can make our days feel a little easier.

Like the clothes we're wearing.

Can uncomfortable clothing actually affect concentration?

Apparently, yes. At least, there's some interesting research suggesting it can.

In a 2003 study published in Perceptual and Motor Skills, researchers investigated the relationship between fabric comfort and cognitive performance.

Forty participants completed attention tasks under different conditions, including wearing uncomfortable wool material ag

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References

• Bell, R., Cardello, A. V. & Schutz, H. G. (2003). Relations among comfort of fabrics, ratings of comfort, and visual vigilance. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 97(1), 57–67.

• Lenzing AG. TENCEL™ Lyocell: Fibre properties and moisture management.