Socks Could Be The Key To A Better Night’s Sleep
If you struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep, the fix could be in your sock drawer. Sure, stress or health conditions may be to blame for your insomnia or restless nights, but it could also be as simple as cold feet. The results of one study show that people who wore socks to bed fell asleep faster, stayed asleep longer and even woke up less often during the night than those who were barefoot.
It all has to do with your core body temperature, which rises and falls over the course of a day and you’re typically at your warmest between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Around that time, your core temperature starts to drop, letting your body know it’s bedtime, as cooling down at that time can help you avoid overheating at night, which can lead to poor-quality sleep or insomnia. But if your body senses that your feet are cold, it may try to increase your core temperature, and that can make it harder to fall asleep.
If you’re wearing socks, that won’t happen, so you may drift off faster and snooze better. Sleeping in socks also comes with benefits including:
- Reducing hot flashes – If you’re prone to hot flashes or night sweats related to perimenopause or menopause, wearing socks to bed can actually help you cool down. Before a hot flash, your core body temperature increases, but by keeping your feet warm at night, you actually help control your temperature, which helps combat those hormonal fluctuations that lead to hot flashes.
- Prevent cracked feet – Slather on some lotion and slip on a pair of socks when you get into bed to help heal dry, cracked skin on your feet.
