Action: What Links Touch, Movement, and Temperature to Wellbeing?

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When we think about improving our mood, managing stress, or fatigue, our first thoughts often focus on the psychological causes of these problems. While this is essential, we often overlook the physical, sensory experiences that play a significant role in shaping how we feel. Touch, movement, and temperature are all linked to well-being through the somatosensory system, a vital network in our brain and body that processes physical sensations and connects them to our emotions, energy, and cognitive function.

The somatosensory system is like your body's communication hub for physical sensations. It collects information from your skin, muscles, and internal organs. Signals, such as from touch, movement, and temperature send information to your brain. Your brain interprets this information and decides how to respond, influencing everything from your mood to your ability to focus.

 By understanding and addressing these sensory inputs, you can create a more balanced state of mind and build greater mental resilience to cope with life’s psychological stressors.

 Let’s explore how this happens and look at some practical ways you can make positive changes.

Touch: The Power of Physical Connection

Touch is a fundamental human need. Whether it’s the warmth of a hug, the softness of fabric, or the pressure of a massage, touch sends signals to the brain that can reduce stress and improve mood. These sensations release oxytocin, the ‘bonding hormone’, and lower cortisol, the stress hormone. Touch can also create a sense of safety, calm, and connection.

While it is great to achieve these results from the hug of a loved one, many forms of touch can help reduce stress such as friendly nudges and back slaps, a head massage at the hairdressers, and even hugging a pillow.[1]

 In today’s world, where virtual connections often replace face-to-face interactions, many people struggle with low mood and loneliness. Actively incorporating physical touch into our lives can foster emotional wellbeing and strengthen our sense of closeness with others.

Practical Considerations:

Think about the textures you encounter daily—your bedding, clothing, or the surfaces you touch. Are they soothing or irritating?

Look for opportunities to introduce calming textures into your life, like a weighted blanket which can reduce stress. View your lounge room cushions or throw blankets as aiding your relaxation, not just visual accessories.

Soft clothing that is easy to wear and comfortable allows you to maintain focus on the task at hand rather than being distracted by tight waist bands, stiff shirting or shoes that pinch.

Bedding should be comfortable and made from breathable fabric allowing for natural body temperature regulation. You shouldn’t be uncomfortable because of lumpy or unsupportive pillows either. Good bedding isn’t a luxury, it’s fundamental to achieving quality sleep which is essential for your wellbeing.   

Movement: Energise Your Mind and Body

Movement isn't just for physical fitness—it directly impacts your brain. When you move, your body releases endorphins, which improve mood, and dopamine, which supports motivation and focus.

Regular movement also helps you control your stress levels by decreasing sympathetic nervous system activity (responsible for the ‘fight or flight’ response) and boosting parasympathetic activity (which promotes calm).

While exercise that increases heart rate is highly effective at producing these results, it is not the only type of movement that can build your mental fortitude and resilience; Strength training and focused exercise such as yoga and Pilates can all contribute.

Studies show that even moderate physical activity improves memory, creativity, and problem-solving by enhancing blood flow to the brain and by stimulating new neural pathways.[2]

Other Actions such as walking and writing bring benefits as well. The key is to move.

Practical Considerations:

Are you sitting for long periods? Movement doesn’t have to mean an intense workout.

Aim to incorporate small bursts of activity into your day, such as stretching for a couple of minutes, or a one-minute breathing exercise, or even one minute of squats. Ideally step outside for a brisk 10-minute walk. If you have read the article ‘Auroa – Light: How Light Affects Mood Energy and Focus’, you will understand the many benefits of time outside especially in the morning. Try and schedule some type of Action based break every 1-2 hours. These micro-movements stimulate circulation, increase energy, and improve cognitive clarity.

No one can stay at peak performance hour after hour. When you start drifting off or sense agitation or boredom, it’s a sure sign your brain needs to recharge. Taking a break should not be viewed as a waste of time. On the contrary, it can improve your efficiency which saves you time.

The key is to engage in Actions that you enjoy and that work for you.

You can adopt calming behaviours at any stage in life.

Temperature: Finding Your Comfort Zone

Temperature affects more than your physical comfort—it influences your mood, energy levels, and even sleep. For example, a cooler temperature supports better sleep by signalling the body to produce melatonin, the sleep hormone. The sensation of a drop in temperature also helps the body transition into deeper sleep, this can affect how rejuvenated we feel the next day.   

The temperature of the room during the day is just as important as it can affect your mood and cognitive ability. While there can be variations between individuals, such as the classic male – female divide, studies show that even subtle differences can shift performance levels. 21-22°C (70-72°F) was the optimal temperature for productivity in an office environment.[3]

Warmth, on the other hand, can create a sense of physical and psychological relaxation and comfort. Temperature interacts with your skin's thermoreceptors, warm temperatures relax muscles, improve circulation, and stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which governs the body’s ‘rest-and-digest’ response.

Practical Considerations:

To optimise the quality of your sleep, experiment with warming rituals, such as a warm caffeine free drink and have a warm bath or long shower before bed. When you dry off, your body temperature will start to fall helping you become tired. Couple this with a lower bedroom temperature between 16-20°C (60–68°F), and this will help improve the quality of your sleep.

Think about your work environment. If you work from home, experiment with the room temperature. Trial 21-22°C (70-72°F) and see if this affects your productivity. If you are feeling particularly stressed, the warmth of a herbal tea can be calming. Even the act of holding the cup can trigger relaxation through the parasympathetic nervous system. You might like to try heat pads. The back of the neck and top of the shoulders can be a particularly soothing spot.

To increase alertness, thermoreceptors in the skin are just as responsive to changes in cold as well as heat. Splashing cool water on your face or stepping into a cooler environment sends signals to the brain, particularly the hypothalamus, which triggers the sympathetic nervous system to make you more alert.

While irritability or a lack of focus may be caused by the task at hand or other issues going on, don’t underestimate how much the temperature can influence these feelings.  

What Action Can You Take?

Touch, movement, and temperature are not just background sensory experiences—they actively shape how we feel and behave. Yet, in the rush of modern life, we often ignore these physical influences and focus only on psychological solutions to stress and emotional challenges. By addressing these sensory factors, you can build mental fortitude and resilience, giving yourself a stronger foundation to handle life’s pressures. Consider your daily physical sensations, like textures, movement and environmental temperatures – are they supporting or hindering your wellbeing? What small adjustments can you make to create a more sensory-friendly environment that enhances your mood, energy, and focus?

This article has just ‘scratched’ the surface of the connection and impact of touch, movement, and temperature. Future Action articles will dive deeper into these topics.

To learn more about the Action senses and how all the senses can support you, visit Nriched Living and follow on Instagram at Total Sensory Wellbeing.

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[1] Alloway, T.P. ( 2022), ‘What 20 seconds of hugging can do for you,  Psychology Today. Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/keep-it-in-mind/202201/what-20-seconds-hugging-can-do-you

[2] Neuroscience News. (2024) 'How physical fitness impacts neural mechanisms of cognition', Neuroscience News. Available at: https://neurosciencenews.com/fitness-neuroscience-23228/

[3] Seppanen O., Fisk W.J., Lei Q.H., Room Temperature and Productivity in Office Work, 1 Helsinki University of Technology Laboratory of Heating, Ventilating and Air-conditioning Helsinki, Finland 02015, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Environmental Energy Technologies Division Indoor Environment Department Berkeley, CA 94720,   https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/903492