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Written by Julie Bird, founder of Sleepy Merino, and a wool grower from Inverell NSW. Julie's mission is to improve the sleep and well-being of people all over the world with Australian Merino wool.
Wool is just magic for our health and wellness!! A new Australian Wool Innovation funded study run by the University of Adelaide has shown that people wearing wool perform better during cognitively stressful tasks than those wearing synthetics. Most of us work at times under stressful conditions, but for some of us, such as health workers or those in defence, just a modest improvement in cognitive improvement can mean the difference between life and death.
Human cognitive performance has been shown to be sensitive to heat, humidity and temperature, so wools ability to maintain a more stable microclimate between the garment and the skin was proven to help mitigate the impact of stress of the participants. The 62 participants were presented with arithmetic problems, and tested for accuracy, response time and Heart Rate Variability (HRV), as temperatures were increased. In comparison to synthetics, wool’s benefits were confirmed, for all three parameters.
With many of you now wearing your Sleepy Merino sleepwear, singlets and tees as base layers, this research may help you prioritise your work wardrobe! Please help me spread the word about this wonderful textile, and it’s many benefits for our health and for the environment.