Should you wear socks when sleeping? You may not think of these benefits

As the weather gets colder, the question of "whether to wear socks when sleeping" has become a hot topic of discussion among families.

Supporters believe that wearing socks to sleep can keep you warm, help you sleep better, and make you sleep better.

Opponents believe that wearing socks will affect blood circulation in the legs, especially children should not wear socks to sleep….

So what is the real situation? Let's take a look at the research on sleep and wearing socks to bed. I didn't expect there are these benefits.

What room temperature helps with sleep?

Studies have shown that the best room temperature for sleep is between 18℃ and 21℃ . However, this is not absolute. Some people like their bedroom temperature to be cooler or warmer. The actual comfortable sleeping temperature varies from person to person.

For example, gender differences affect the optimal room temperature for sleep . Women have lower resting metabolic rates than men, which affects their sensitivity to cold sleeping environments (women prefer warm sleeping). On the other hand, men are more likely to be resistant to warm bedroom temperatures (men are afraid of heat sleeping).

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That said, not everyone likes the same temperature, and not everyone is meant to sleep alone, so try to find a room temperature that everyone feels comfortable with , so that you can all sleep better.

Does wearing socks to bed help you sleep better?

Everyone knows the feeling of stretching your legs while sleeping and suddenly touching a cold area, right?

Yes, it is this very uncomfortable feeling that will make people sleep uneasily , and wearing socks to sleep can alleviate this cold feeling to a certain extent, even if you expose your feet outside the quilt.

Of course, in addition to warming your feet and reducing the discomfort of cold, wearing socks to sleep actually has deeper physiological reasons.

Our bodies experience a rhythm of heating and cooling throughout the day based on our circadian rhythm. When awake, our body temperature is around 37°C, which can vary by up to 0.5 degrees during the day. At night, our bodies naturally lower their core temperature to help us fall asleep (which is why cooler room temperatures are better for sleep).

Doesn’t cold feet mean the temperature is low? No! No! No!

If the feet are too cold, our body will be stimulated by the cold, sending more blood and heat to the core, thereby raising the core temperature by one or two levels. Cold feet only mean low peripheral temperature, not necessarily low core temperature.

At this time, putting on a pair of comfortable socks can not only warm our feet, but also help distal vasodilation (increase blood relaxation in the hands and feet and dilate blood vessels that contract in the cold), increase blood flow, improve blood circulation throughout the body, and help release more heat through the skin, thereby lowering the body's core temperature faster, which in turn helps us fall asleep faster.

In one study, participants who used socks or other foot warming methods not only fell asleep faster, but also reportedly slept longer and had better overall sleep quality.

So for people with sleep-wake disorders, is it better to wear socks to sleep?

That's not necessarily true. However, there is evidence that warming your feet before bed can reduce insomnia symptoms. One study showed that warming your feet for 20 minutes before bed can reduce insomnia symptoms and fatigue. In another study, people with insomnia slept better after warming their hands and feet.

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However, the study also showed that elderly insomnia patients did not experience any change in their symptoms after adding foot warming, and age may play an important role in the effect of foot warming on sleep.

There are also these advantages of wearing socks to sleep

In addition to helping us fall asleep faster and sleep longer, some studies show that wearing socks to bed can also allow us to enjoy more benefits.

1

Prevention of menopausal hot flashes

Menopausal hot flashes are caused by an increase in your body's core temperature and can occur while you're awake or asleep. While there are other factors that can influence hot flashes, such as hormone levels, we know that wearing socks while sleeping can help lower your body's core temperature and therefore help you avoid middle-of-the-night hot flashes.

2

More harmonious relationship between the sexes

One study found that 80 percent of couples who wore socks achieved orgasm during sex, compared to only 50 percent of couples who didn't wear socks.

While more research is needed, this could be a low-cost option for promoting harmonious relationships between the sexes.

3

Relieve Raynaud's syndrome symptoms

Raynaud's syndrome is a condition in which blood vessels become spasmed and blood flow is reduced in a series of blood vessels, usually in the hands and feet, usually after exposure to cold.

The condition can cause pain, discoloration (pallor), and a feeling of cold or numbness. Wearing socks to bed can help keep out the cold, especially in the winter, and may help reduce symptoms of Raynaud's syndrome.

4

Preventing cracked feet

Moisturizing is the king of skin care. Applying a layer of therapeutic oil or lotion on your feet before going to bed and then covering them with socks can help keep our feet moisturized.

However, your feet must be washed clean, and the socks you use each time must also be clean to avoid bacterial growth.

Can children wear socks to sleep?

Who should pay attention?

Current research on wearing socks to bed is limited to adults, making it difficult to make evidence-based recommendations about whether children and infants should wear socks to bed.

In general, socks that are too tight may cause circulation restriction, which can be dangerous. If you have circulation problems, swollen feet, or if wearing socks restricts blood flow to your legs and feet, wearing socks to bed may not be right for you.

Therefore, when choosing socks, it is recommended to choose loose and breathable socks to ensure normal blood circulation and avoid wearing compression socks (unless required for treatment, but it is recommended to consult a specialist).

Generally speaking, socks made of natural materials are better than synthetic materials (such as polyester). It is recommended that you choose cashmere or merino wool socks, cotton socks or boat socks.

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Is it bad to sleep barefoot?

What if you don't want to wear socks?

Of course it is okay to sleep barefoot. After all, everyone has their own preferences, and many people like to sleep naked.

But if you don’t want to wear socks but still want to sleep more comfortably, you can try the following tips:

Take a foot bath or a hot bath before bed;

Wear warm slippers before going to bed;

Do a warm foot massage before going to bed;

Place a low-temperature heating pad at the foot of your bed before bed (following all safety precautions listed by the manufacturer);

Place a fluffy blanket at the end of your bed when you go to sleep.

Finally, I would like to ask everyone, do you wear socks when you sleep?

References

[1]Sleep Foundation :Sleeping With Socks On.

[2]Cleveland Clinic: Can Wearing Socks to Bed Help You Sleep Better?

[3]Harding EC, Franks NP, Wisden W. The Temperature Dependence of Sleep. Front Neurosci. 2019 Apr 24;13:336.

[4]Ko Y, Lee JY. Effects of feet warming using bed socks on sleep quality and thermoregulatory responses in a cool environment. J Physiol Anthropol. 2018 Apr 24;37(1):13.

[5]Kräuchi K, Cajochen C, Werth E, Wirz-Justice A. Functional link between distal vasodilation and sleep-onset latency? Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2000 Mar;278(3):R741-8.

Planning and production

Source: Health Express

Author: Pan Jingjing, Master of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine

Reviewer: Zhao Wei, Chief Physician of the Department of Neurology, Tianjin Teda Hospital

Editor: Wang Mengru

Proofread by Xu Lailinlin