Did you know that what you wear to bed and what you do not wear to bed can significantly affect the quality of your sleep? It’s true. If you are looking for ways to improve the quality of your sleep, you might want to consider adding socks to your feet. This quick guide will provide more information on how wearing socks to bed can help you rest better. Let’s dive right in.
Fall Asleep Faster
Research has been conducted to help determine if sleeping with socks on or off affects sleep patterns and quality of sleep. Researchers have discovered that people who wear socks to bed fall asleep faster and often wake up less during the night. Other foot-warming methods, such as taking a warm bath before bed, were also helpful.
It is believed that the correlation between socks and sleep depends on how the body regulates temperature when sleeping.
More research is needed to fully understand how wearing socks to bed affects sleep habits and patterns, but if you are one of the millions of people who struggle with falling and staying asleep, it can’t hurt to try some cozy socks.
Body Temperature During Sleep
Most people are unaware of the deep connection between your circadian rhythms and body temperature. It turns out that our internal clock and thermostat are very closely intertwined.
Researchers have determined that each of these body systems affects the other in significant ways.
When your circadian rhythm signals to your body that it is time to sleep, it also signals to your internal thermostat that it is time to drop your core body temperature. The core body temperature affects the temp of your vital internal organs. However, when that core temp drops, it will also make your extremities colder. This includes your hands and feet. Keeping your hands warm while sleeping is easier because you can simply tuck them somewhere warm, such as under your pillow. But keeping your feet warm during this drop in core temp is harder.
This is where socks can come in handy. If you go ahead and put on your socks before going to sleep, your feet will stay nice and cozy even when that core temp drops during the night.
It is also believed that warming up the skin can actually signal the core temp to drop. When the core temp drops, your brain automatically thinks it is time to sleep. Warming up your feet at night can be a great way to get your sleep patterns on track so you get sleepy at appropriate times.
Speaking of temperature, the temperature of your bedroom and your bed can also affect your sleep quality. Sleep experts agree that the ideal temperature for quality sleep is between 66 and 70 degrees. The clothing you choose and your bedding will ultimately affect the overall temperature that your body is experiencing during sleep. So, make sure that you choose wisely.
Socks and Insomnia
Those who have insomnia look desperately for ways to cure this debilitating problem. Insomnia can affect every aspect of your life and decrease your quality of life.
Wearing socks to bed and using other methods to warm your feet before sleep is one option you might want to try if you have insomnia. You should keep in mind, though, that insomnia often needs medical treatment. If your insomnia negatively impacts your life, you should talk with a doctor about possible treatment options.
When Not to Sleep with Socks On
There are some instances in which you might not want to sleep with socks on, though. If you feel uncomfortable with socks on in the bed, the discomfort could disrupt your otherwise good sleep patterns or worsen challenging sleep patterns. You will just need to find what works best for you.
If you have problems with blood clots or varicose veins, wearing socks to bed might not be an excellent option. You should talk to your doctor first. Never wear compression socks to bed, as this could affect the blood flow through your feet and legs.
Best Socks to Sleep In
Any socks that you find comfortable can be a great option for sleeping. If your goal is to warm your feet up significantly, you will want to choose socks that are both soft and warm. Research shows that cotton socks significantly affected how quickly participants fell asleep, with polyester coming in a close second.
Socks and Sleep Hygiene
If you are not familiar with the term sleep hygiene, it is time that you learn about this important aspect of your health. Sleep hygiene refers to your sleep habits and, most notably, how you set yourself up for sleep before falling asleep.
Sleep hygiene compasses your sleeping arrangements, routine habits leading up to bedtime, behaviors and activities you engage in while in bed, and how you set up your sleeping environment to promote good sleep that lasts the appropriate number of hours.
Here are some sleep hygiene factors you should keep in mind.
Hours Dedicated to Sleep
Your sleep hygiene starts with how many hours you will devote to your sleep. You must be intentional about this commitment to making sleep hours a priority.
Sleep Environment
You must also be intentional about setting up your sleeping environment. Do you need white noise? Do you need total darkness? Do you need heavy blankets or light blankets? Do you need sheets and blankets off your feet or snugly around your feet? All of these details will affect how well you sleep.
Bedtime Routine
What are you doing in the hour leading up to bedtime? The activities you participate in an hour before bedtime will greatly affect your sleep. You need to be off of screens and doing activities that help you wind down and prepare for rest.
Bed Activities
You need to reserve your bed for only two things, intimacy and sleeping. Activities such as working, watching TV, eating, or doing other activities can send mixed messages to your brain about what you should be doing in bed. If you reserve your bed only for intimacy and sleeping, then over time, your brain will associate your bed with only that and start sending the right messages at the proper time.
The Cozy Toezy is a discreet, easy-to-use bedsheet riser that can help you with foot-related sleep issues. Contact us today to get yours!