Should we wear warm socks to bed at night or not? This question might appear to be simple, but in fact, it has caused quite an argument among researchers. These researchers are trying to prove why it might be better to sleep with socks on or without by conducting various studies. Tune into this article to find out once and for all, why we need to wear warm socks at night.
There’s a surprising amount of science behind why it actually might be better to wear warm socks at night. Although we don’t realize it, the main reason comes down to one important fact, a better quality of sleep.
Here are the results of studies that have been conducted on why we need to wear warm socks at night. As most of you might have not guessed it, there are quite a few interesting advantages.
Reasons to Wear Warm Socks at Night
Avoid Raynaud’s Disease
For those of you who don’t know, Raynaud’s disease develops mainly due to poor blood circulation in our bodies. The extremities in our body such as the toes and fingers can start throbbing and swell up due to this.
Wearing warm socks can help insulate our feet so that our toes don’t lose blood flow.
Prepares You to Sleep
The problem of cold feet that we experience at night time tends to bother our sleep schedule. It doesn’t let us sleep easily or well enough. This is why its important to wear warm socks at night.
When something warm comes in contact with our feet, the blood vessels of that area slowly start to dilate. Heat is then spread out through the body, reaching all of our extremities. This process sends a signal to the brain that the body is prepared for sleep.
A study published by the International Weekly Journal of Science shows us that people who wear warm socks at night have a habit of sleeping at least fifteen minutes earlier than normal!
Preventing Hot Flushes
Women especially may deal with cases of hot flashes due to hormonal changes. Wearing warm socks at night cools down the entire body temperature while sleeping and can help prevent these hot flushes.
Examples of hot flushes are sweating, palpitations, flushing of the face, and instance warmth that begins at the core of the body and spreads out. So, make sure to try this if you face these symptoms.
Improves Cracked Heels
Although people try different ways of removing cracked heels such as specific creams and moisturizers, one thing we haven’t realized is that sleeping with our bare feet only worsens it.
Our feet are regularly exposed to dry air during the night which isn’t helpful for cracked feet. By covering them, this condition can slowly go away. This is why we need to wear warm socks at night.
Wearing warm socks at night made of natural materials such as cotton, wool, or cashmere will produce the best results. Moisturizing before wearing socks hydrates the feet for the night.
It can keep you healthier and positive
It is said that when your feet are exposed to cold and dry air in the night, it reduces your positive energy and warmth as the extremities will lack circulation and grow cold.
Since sleeping with warm socks improves blood circulation, one not only gets a good sleep but also a good flow of blood to all regions in the body, making the person feel well-rested and energetic for the upcoming day.
Thermoregulation
This is the way by which the body controls its temperature based on the environment surrounding it.
Wearing warm socks has proved to help with this process and is one of the most important reasons why we need to wear warm socks at night.
Additional Tips when Sleeping with Warm Socks
- Massage your feet for at least five minutes right before sleeping for better circulation in the toes.
- Natural circulatory booster creams such as capsaicin cream exist which can be applied after massages for a good effect.
- Make sure to wear different socks during the day and night. The socks that we wear during the day may contain a lot of dirt and germs and so its best to use a fresh new warm pair.
- Don’t use socks that are too thick as they will not allow air to circulate to your feet.
- A warm shower or bath before wearing warm socks at night gives better results.
Types of socks to wear
The most important part of choosing what type of socks to wear at night is the fabric. Sometimes we may choose socks with spandex or elastic type material, and these make it harder for us to fall asleep.
Fabrics such as microfibers and Merino wool are the best for wearing at night as they aren’t too thick or unbreathable. They give you a good mixture of softness and thickness so that your sleep will go undisrupted.
Avoid wearing compression socks unless a doctor prescribes them for a specific reason. This is because these socks block off the blood flow from reaching our toes and feet.
Conclusion
Choosing to wear warm socks at night or not is purely an individual’s opinion. Some people face problems such as sweaty feet, difficulty in removing sock in the middle of the night, losing socks, and just being uncomfortable with extra layers of clothing when sleeping.
Whereas others agree with studies that have shown why we need to wear warm socks at night. Since they give us better blood circulation, better thermoregulation, sleeping earlier, a better quality of sleep, and everything else mentioned in the above article, they’re better for our health.
So, be careful to make a decision after weighing out the pros and cons of each case and chose the one that best fits your needs and lifestyle. Good luck 😊