It’s cold, is it good to wear socks to sleep?

As the weather gets colder, our friends in the south who don't have indoor heating are arguing about this issue again:

"Wearing socks while sleeping? No, no, my feet cannot be bound!"

"I have to wear socks, otherwise my feet are so cold that I can't sleep at all!"

This seemingly small habit has become a "big headache" for many people before going to bed in winter.

In the cold winter nights, if you want to sleep well, should you wear socks? This issue will explain it to you:

The importance of keeping your feet warm

Why do cold feet affect sleep?

To answer this question, we need to first clarify the regulatory role of the two temperatures in the human body during sleep and sleep:

1. Human core temperature: The temperature of the human core (heart, main trunk, etc.) is usually relatively stable;

2. Human limb temperature: The skin temperature away from the core area, including the hands, calves and feet, is usually easily affected by the external environment.

When the human body enters a sleep state, the core temperature drops and the distal temperature rises. Studies have found that lower core body temperature and higher distal skin temperature are conducive to falling asleep quickly.

As we all know, the human body's feet are at the end of the blood circulation, far away from the heart. In cold weather, heat is easily lost, which makes the feet the first part of the body to feel cold.

From a scientific point of view , the human body needs a relatively stable and comfortable body temperature environment when sleeping. The coldness of the feet will disrupt this balance and interfere with the body's natural temperature regulation mechanism, which in turn affects the speed of falling asleep and the depth of sleep, making it easy for people to toss and turn at night and find it difficult to enter a high-quality sleep state.

At the same time, once the foot temperature is too low, the human body will automatically start a defense mechanism to shrink blood vessels to reduce heat loss, but this also leads to poor blood circulation and affects the body's overall temperature balance. This change in blood circulation will not only make us feel cold and unbearable, but also have a negative impact on sleep.

Do you wear socks when sleeping?

It depends on the person

In essence , wearing socks to sleep is to keep the feet warm in winter and improve sleep quality. So the answer to the question of "Is it good to wear socks to sleep?" varies from person to person. Everyone can decide whether to wear socks to sleep based on their physical condition and personal preference.

If you are prone to cold hands and feet, and often feel cold feet in winter and can't warm up for a long time, you might as well try wearing a pair of loose, breathable cotton socks to help keep your feet warm and fall asleep faster. Other studies have shown that wearing socks to sleep can relieve nighttime leg cramps to a certain extent.

If your feet are prone to sweating or you have athlete's foot, then it is not suitable to wear socks to sleep . The feet are not breathable at night, which will increase sweating, not only increasing the risk of fungal infection but also affecting sleep quality. For friends with lower limb edema, the pressure of socks may further hinder blood circulation and aggravate edema, so it is not recommended to wear socks to sleep.

In addition, if you always feel your feet are uncomfortable and feel like there is something foreign in them when you put on socks before going to bed, and you can't fall asleep for a long time after putting them on, then it is not recommended to wear socks to sleep. You can choose to soak your feet in warm water before going to bed or put a warm hot water bottle at the bottom of the quilt to keep your feet warm. Find the best balance between warmth and comfort, so that we can enjoy a warm and quiet night in winter.

Sleeping socks

How to wear it?

If you are used to wearing socks to sleep and feel comfortable doing so, you should also pay attention to these issues:

1. Material selection: When choosing sleeping socks, you should choose soft, breathable, and moisture-absorbent materials, such as pure cotton, wool blends, etc. These natural materials can allow the skin of the feet to breathe freely, reduce sweating of the feet and keep them dry, effectively reduce the feeling of stuffiness, and also reduce the probability of skin allergies and other problems.

2. Appropriate size: You need to choose sleeping socks of appropriate size according to your feet. In particular, you should avoid sleeping in tight socks. Make sure the socks fit your feet well without any marks. Your toes can move freely in the socks to avoid affecting blood circulation or causing a sense of restraint and pressure on your feet.

3. Cleanliness and hygiene: Socks worn at night should be separated from those worn during the day, and should be changed and washed regularly to keep the socks clean to reduce bacterial growth.