Sleeping With Socks on Can Help You Fall Asleep Faster: Here’s Why

As much as many people prefer to leave their feet free while sleeping, sleep with socks may be the real secret to falling asleep faster.

Despite sounding too easy to be true, this theory has been supported by some doctors on TikTok, who have made content explaining why it might actually work.

To top it off, there are some studies that prove that the trick really can help those who struggle to fall asleep.

But how is this possible? Let’s find out next!

How can wearing socks help you fall asleep faster?

According to a study done by French researchers, wearing socks overnight can help increase blood circulation in the feet, which causes blood vessels to widen. As a consequence, the body’s core temperature is reduced, influencing the circadian rhythm, that is, the internal biological clock that controls your sleep cycle.

Research explains that the circadian cycle helps regulate various bodily functions, including core body temperature, which is often set by the environment.

As a result, sleeping in your socks can cause the blood vessels in your feet to widen and release body heat, which can trigger your body to start the circadian rhythm cooling process that ultimately puts you to sleep.

It is noteworthy, however, that this is not such new information among scholars. There is actually a lot of research that supports the idea that sleeping in socks is a good thing.

An example of this is a review of studies from 1999 published in the scientific journal Nature, which pointed out that “the degree of dilation of blood vessels in the skin of the hands and feet, which increases heat loss in these extremities, is the best physiological predictor for the rapid onset of sleep.”

This means that people who have hot hands and feet are more likely to fall asleep faster than those who don’t.

In another study done in 2006 in the Netherlands, researchers performed different sleep interventions in people with and without sleep health problems. As a result, they found that young adults who slept with socks, regardless of sleep problems, fell asleep faster than those who didn’t wear socks to sleep.

In addition, the professionals also concluded that, for elderly participants who did not have sleep health problems, taking a warm bath before bed or sleeping with socks also helped them to fall asleep faster.

However, in elderly participants who had pre-existing sleep problems, none of these strategies helped, according to the research.

Finally, a small survey from 2018 looked at the impact of wearing socks to sleep on six young men. In the experiment, it was found that men went to bed an average of 7.5 minutes faster and slept 32 minutes longer than when they slept without socks on their feet.

Tips for sleeping with socks

If you think sleeping with socks on can help you fall asleep faster, the top tip is to make it a habit.

To do this, always keep a pair of comfortable socks handy and put them on your feet just before going to bed.

To complete the experience of a restful and restful sleep, it is also recommended to practice sleep hygiene, leaving the room dark and silent, avoiding the use of screens before going to bed and maintaining a bedtime and waking up routine.

It is worth remembering, however, that as indicated by studies, the use of garments will only help if the temperature in the room is low, since, in a hot environment, vasodilation in the feet will not be enough to neutralize the heat of the rest of the body. room environment.