The scarf has become more of a fashion accessory than a practical one. Yet, it doesn't just play a decorative role in your outfits: it also protects you from colds and saves you from home remedies made with garlic and honey. If your grandmother is so keen to knit you a handmade scarf with good wool, it's not just for its beauty.
The neck: a much more sensitive area than you might think
The scarf, long considered a fashion accessory, is not just a Pinterest-worthy item. Its primary function is to protect the neck and optimize body heat. Moreover, it covers a particularly sensitive area that is difficult to protect with just a high collar.
The neck is a strategic area of the body. It houses major blood vessels, delicate muscles, and lymph nodes essential to our immune system . When exposed to cold, the body reacts immediately by contracting its muscles to conserve heat. The result: tension, stiffness, and sometimes pain that sets in by the end of the day.
This protective reflex, repeated day after day, can create insidious muscle fatigue. You then feel constantly tense, with heavy shoulders or a painful neck, without always making the connection to the absence of a scarf.
An invisible but real expenditure of energy
When the body is exposed to cold, it expends more energy to maintain its internal temperature. Going out without a scarf therefore forces the body to compensate, sometimes at the expense of other essential functions such as digestion, concentration, or recovery.
This increased energy consumption can explain why we feel more tired in winter, even without intense physical activity. Dressing properly also allows your body to function more efficiently, without unnecessarily wasting its resources.
The cold, a discreet enemy of the voice
The voice is often the forgotten element of winter. Yet, cold, dry air can irritate the vocal cords, especially when talking a lot or moving from a heated environment to freezing temperatures. Without a scarf, the throat is directly exposed to temperature changes, which can cause hoarseness and vocal discomfort.
For those who work with their voice or simply enjoy speaking without straining, protecting this area becomes a true act of self-care, just like hydration or rest. However, a virologist debunks the biggest winter myth in the pages of Femme Actuelle . In reality, it's impossible to catch a cold. It's a misnomer, but above all, a medical myth.
“We don’t catch a cold, however, the cold is a factor that increases the risk of catching microbes or viruses, because when it’s cold, we tend to stay indoors more, be more confined, so there is a high concentration of microbes and we can more easily catch viral diseases, for example,” she explains.
The scarf, a gesture of winter self-care
Long perceived as a mere fashion accessory, the scarf now deserves to be revalued as a tool for well-being. It envelops, warms, and soothes. It creates a feeling of cocooning that reassures both body and mind, especially in a season when everything encourages us to slow down.
Choosing a soft, breathable fabric that feels pleasant against the skin transforms this gesture into a true self-care ritual. And the good news is: it's never been easier to combine style and protection.
Going out without a scarf might seem harmless, but the body registers every exposure to the cold. It speaks through subtle signals: fatigue, tension, minor aches and pains, decreased energy. Winter is a demanding season, requiring more attention and gentleness towards oneself. And that starts with a long, fluffy scarf. Because ultimately, it embraces you like two warm arms.
