I'm 49, 195 pounds, and commuting 7 miles each way on 23s on narrow rims. I carry a cell phone for flats, but haven't had any yet. (Oh, hell, I just jinxed myself.) In contrast, I built an ebike to commute on in the hot months with 32s, with tire liners.
It all depends on where you ride, really. My route isn't too bad, and I take extra care on the rough parts. The thing about commuting is that you ride the same route daily, so you really get to know where at least some of the hazards are.
Changing from 35s to 23s is a huge change. I'd go to 28s as an interim step. Try that out & see how it goes.