Summary Most people have difficulty getting to sleep from time to time. One trick they may not have tried is sleeping with their socks on
ISLAMABAD (Online) – As strange as it might seem, sleeping with socks on may aid getting to sleep faster. This is because temperature regulation is a necessary part of the sleep cycle.
Sleep is a vital part of everyone s life. After all, humans spend around a third of their days sleeping.
The National Institute of Health says that sleep is essential for normal brain and body function.
Most people have difficulty getting to sleep from time to time. One trick they may not have tried is sleeping with their socks on.
Socks help you fall asleep
Studies suggest that wearing socks in bed may aid sleep.
It may seem like wearing socks in bed would overheat the feet. But, in reality, this habit might assist the body s internal temperature regulation.
A study from 2007 reported that adults who wore either normal or heated socks in bed got to sleep faster.
This is because a person s core body temperature drops during the night, reaching the lowest temperature around 4 a.m. The average body temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (°F), but this varies by 1 to 2 degrees over the course of 24 hours.
Warming up the feet and hands makes the blood vessels dilate, a response that is called vasodilation. This releases heat through the skin and helps to lower core body temperature. This, in turn, sends a message to the brain that it is bedtime.
Research suggests that warm skin is associated with getting to sleep faster.
Sleep and body temperature
A person s core body temperature is affected by their biological clock, also called their circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythm controls the timing of sleep, making a person feel sleepy at night and awake in the morning.
Body temperature gradually rises during the day, peaking in the late afternoon when people feel most awake and alert. Body temperature then decreases during the night, making a person feel sleepy.
When someone begins to fall asleep, the temperature of their body decreases by 1 to 2 degrees. This could be because the body is conserving energy for other functions.
If a person sleeps with their socks on, this may help with their temperature regulation cycles.
Good temperature regulation in the body is also why it is usually suggested that people keep their bedrooms cool, somewhere between 60 and 67°F.
