The Sleep-Sock TRICK You Can Use To Help You Sleep Faster And Easier
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We have established that sleep is essential to our human body. During the time of sleeping, the body undergoes regenerative processes that are essential to health and restoration. Most people understand the importance of sleep and don’t know why they feel drained when they haven’t had enough sleep.
The fact remains, that many people struggle to get a good sleep at night. There is a lot of science to sleep, and one simple thing that you could do, is to put your socks on when you go to sleep!
What’s With Sleeping With Socks On?
Wearing socks and going to bed may help you to drift off into slumberland easier than usual. There is a scientific explanation to it.
When you sleep, your core body temperature (CBT) has to go down (cooler), while your skin temperature may go up (warmer). CBT (internal) is different from your skin temperature (external).
When you snuggle up in bed with your blanket (or covers), this is what happens:
Skin temperature warms up ⇒ blood vessels dilate ⇒ facilitates heat exchange that lowers CBT.
Wearing socks, and being under the covers, speeds up the temperature-lowering of CBT, signaling to your brain to drift off into sleep easier and faster.
Some research has indicated a correlation between the dilation in extremities (vasodilation) and the speed of falling asleep, meaning that increased dilation of the blood vessels in the feet will lead to you falling asleep quicker.
This Sleep Sock Trick Has Many Surprising Benefits
1. Prevent Night Sweat and Hot Flash
Wearing socks to bed helps to regulate body temperature whilst you sleep due to cooling process conducted by the body itself. This type of temperature control can be beneficial in preventing instances of night sweats or hot flashes, both of which can lead to sleep disturbance.
2. Improve Dry Skin
People who experience bouts of dry skin may find that they wake with cracked, dry feet; especially in the winter months when temperatures drop. This may lead to aesthetic concerns as well as soreness and pain.
Applying a suitable and appropriate moisturizer to your feet before sleep, and wearing clean socks made from cotton will help to avoid you waking up with sore and dry feet.
3. Help With Raynaud’s Disease
Raynaud’s disease is a condition that affects an individual’s blood cells, and causes an overreaction to cold temperatures which, in severe cases, can lead to sores or necrosis (tissue death). Sleeping with socks on helps with body temperature regulation, which can help to prevent a Raynaud’s attack from occurring.
What You Can Put In Your Socks!
Now this gets interesting. These tips may seem like old wives’ tales but they work!
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, your feet have direct access points to the internal organs in your body and are closely correlated with the nervous system (a.k.a. meridian points). This is the core concept of feet reflexology and grounding (walking barefeet on the earth).
The sole of your feet have thousands of nerve endings that are powerful electrical circuits but are dormant because we wear shoes.
1. Reduce Fever
If there is fever, soak up some cotton pads in apple cider vinegar and squeeze off the excess. Put these damp cotton pads in your socks before going to bed. This can help bring down your fever. Vinegar is effective in boosting blood flow and reducing fever. In addition, this remedy is also helpful for strengthening your immune system and ease the breaking down of waste products for elimination.
Note: Don’t use this remedy in combination with taking sleeping pills or other liquid medication.
2. Prevent Cough
This Russian remedy helps to stop coughs. Put 1-2 tablespoons of dried mustard powder inside each sock and wear another pair of socks on top. Leave on till morning and change a new pair for during the day if desired. Repeat a few days and nights if necessary.
3. Purify The Blood
Onion and garlic are foods that are known to kill harmful bacteria in our digestive system, at the same time purifies the blood. Slice some onions or garlic thinly and place some in each sock over your feet at night. They release their sulfurous fumes through the soles of your feet into the body to detoxify and purify the blood.
This works very well to relieve flu, cold and sinus. Repeat for a few days and nights if necessary, changing the onions/garlic and socks every eight hours.
4. Warm Your Feet
Eating red pepper already increases the circulation in your toes and fingers. Thus, when you put cayenne (or red pepper spices) into your shoes or socks, it essentially does the same thing. Applying cayenne topically causes the blood vessels under the skin of the feet to dilate. This action stimulates extra blood flow and provides warmth to the feet.
For some, the warming sensation may occur immediately, while for others, the heat gradually increases over time. This also depends on how much pepper is used.
What Socks To Wear For Sleeping
When wearing socks to sleep for the above purposes, there are a few things to consider in terms of hygiene—an important aspect of attaining the most benefits from wearing socks during sleep.
You should always change your socks before you go to bed, ensuring that you do not leave on the same socks that you have been wearing throughout the day. Otherwise, bacteria can build up and lead to a fungal infection, or similar condition affecting your feet. Ensure to remove your socks from the day, wash your feet, and dry them properly, particularly between the toes.
When sleeping with socks on, choosing the right type is also important. Socks that are too thick, or made from unnatural synthetic materials that do not allow sufficient airflow around the feet can cause the feet to become too warm, leading to increased sweating.
This can be counter-productive as it increases production of bacteria, causing complications. Pick a pair of socks that are made from natural fibres, and not too thick. If they make your feet sweat before you even get into bed, then they are the wrong type.
Sources:
https://www.newhealthadvisor.com/Sleeping-with-Socks-On.html
https://myilifestyle.com/get-your-socks-wet-before-you-go-to-sleep-and-see-what-happens-in-the-morning/
https://feet.thefuntimesguide.com/2007/01/pepper_for_cold_feet.php
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