Wearing socks in bed increases blood flow to feet and heat loss through the skin, which helps lower core body temperature. In turn, this helps a person get to sleep faster.
Researchers explain why leaving your feet outside the covers while sleeping can help you sleep better, Yahoo Health reports. Sleep researchers know that right before you fall asleep, your body temperature starts to drop; in the deepest stages of sleep, your body is at its coolest, about one or two degrees below normal.
A commonly touted point for covering your feet up before bed is that it increases blood circulation. Unfortunately, for those who are wearing socks all day long and then covering their feet up at night may actually experience a decrease in flood flow.
Like the skin on the rest of your body, the skin on your feet needs to breathe. Wearing socks and shoes all day prevents your feet from getting fresh, dry air.
Research suggests that wearing socks to bed can help people not only fall asleep faster, but sleep longer and wake up fewer times throughout the night. One study found that young men wearing socks fell asleep 7.5 minutes faster, slept 32 minutes longer, and woke up 7.5 times less often than those not wearing socks.
Why is it Not Good to Sleep With Socks On? Sleeping with socks on can improve circulation. However, if the socks you wear are too constrictive and tight, it could cause a decrease in blood flow. If your socks aren't breathable, it could prevent the release of heat from your body.
“There may be an increased risk of skin infection, especially if the socks used are made of synthetic material like nylon. Body temperature can rise due to excessive use of socks,” he said.
As you sleep, your feet and ankles relax and begin to rest in a plantarflexed position—or in other words, with your toes pointed downward. In this position, all the tension on the plantar fascia is released, allowing it to contract and shorten overnight.
According to ancient traditions like vastu shastra, the best direction to sleep in is toward the south. This theory is also supported by some recent research . This means that when you lie in bed, your head is pointed south , and your feet are pointed north.
While some people find that socks make their shoes worse, other people are just the opposite. They find that not wearing socks exacerbates a shoe odor problem. Based on what you have already read, you should understand why that is. It is all about perspiration and bacteria.
If you stick out your feet out of your blanket in the winter season then it might make you feel cold and you might have to get the feet back inside your blankets, this can eventually lead to disturbance in sleep.
Moisturize them every day with lotion, cream, or petroleum jelly. Don't put moisturizer between your toes. You want to keep the skin there dry to prevent infection.
Keep them up for at least 15 minutes.
The longer, the better, but if all you can squeeze in is 15 minutes 3 times a day, then do it.
A leg pillow can keep your hips from twisting in the night. It can keep your knees neatly stacked on top of each other, preventing awkward spine curvature. This supports the natural alignment of your spine and reduces strain on your hips as you move in your sleep.
According to Vastu Shastra, it is good to sleep with your head in the east direction, while one should never sleep with the feet towards the east, that is, with the head in the west.
Using a thick pillow, prop up your legs and feet to keep them elevated while you sleep. You can also use a bed wedge for legs, which will help them stay elevated all night long. Aim for at least six inches of elevation above the heart.
“There's no proven benefit or harm to sleeping naked,” says Dr. Drerup. “Just do what feels right and then rest easy with your decision.”
While wearing socks in bed can improve circulation, it can also go the other way. If the socks you choose to wear are restrictive and too tight, this can cause blood flow to decrease. Either opt for bed socks or choose a size up to what you would normally wear throughout the day.
Wearing Socks All Day (and Night) is Healthy
But did you know that sleeping with socks on can actually be beneficial? There are generally no serious health risks associated with wearing socks to bed. This is a safer way to heat your feet while sleeping as opposed to heating pads, hot water bottles, and rice socks.
Regular foot massages are linked to better overall health, improved relaxation and decreased stress levels. The great thing about a foot massage is that you can do it yourself. Here are a few tips for improving your overall health and wellness through simple nightly foot massages.
You May Feel Unstable in Bed
For those of us that move around a lot in our sleep, have to sleep on a slight incline, or share the bed with a heavier partner, having one leg bent up can act as an anchor to help with weight distribution and stop us from migrating around the bed.
Legs-Up-the-Wall is good for reducing leg swelling. When you stand or sit all day, your legs can swell because your body isn't circulating blood well. Holding your legs up in this position helps ease discomfort and keep your blood from pooling and staying in your legs.
In particular, soaking your feet in hot water before sleeping brings many unexpected benefits. Not only helps blood circulation, reduces stress and anxiety, but also improves sleep quality.