The Pros and Cons of Wearing Socks to Bed
For most, nothing feels better on a cold night than sliding into your comfiest jammies, fluffiest socks and heaviest down comforter. Like many of us though, you may wake up half-naked, drenched in sweat, with your socks and blankets tossed haphazardly overboard.
As insignificant as your socks may seem to your nightly in-sleep endeavors, sleeping with your socks on (or off) as you cruise through REM cycles is a pretty important decision. So whether wearing socks while you’re settling into bed and sleeping sounds super cozy, or straight-up criminal, you may want to read on to better understand how exactly this decision affects your sleep.
why is this important to consider?
Your feet have a massive impact on your overall body temperature. The blood vessels in your tootsies contract and slow down blood flow, and they lack fat and muscle, leaving them lacking warmth. They’re more likely to get cold, and stay cold, compared to the other parts of your body. But socks can help with the thermoregulation of your feet, and in turn, your whole body!
What does this have to do with sleep, you ask? Being at the perfect temperature (and of course, as comfortable as possible) helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. The best sleeping temperature is not a warm one, which may feel chilly and uncomfortable to some, but wearing socks can warm you up and keep you comfortable as you fall asleep. Along with this, specialty socks in seamless styles, absorbent and breathable socks in bamboo fabrics and cute compression socks in dreamy designs offer additional benefits when it comes to sleeping, even if just from being extra cozy. However, wearing the wrong socks to bed can have just as much of an impact on your sleep and health, but in a much more negative way.
Check Out Our Cute Compression Socks!the pros:
- you’ll sleep better: This is the one reason why you should rock a pair of our socks when you snooze. Since socks help your body better regulate temperature, they prevent you from waking up in the middle of the night feeling cold, and they can even help you fall asleep faster. In fact, it’s been noted that people who sleep with socks on fall asleep faster.
- you’ll improve your skin: In the winter, the harsh, dry air can seriously cause havoc to your skin. Your once perfectly hydrated feet and legs turn dry, scratchy and devoid of moisture. But you can prevent this by slathering on a thick layer of lotion and sliding on a pair of comfy socks (once the lotion dries a bit, of course). This will deeply nourish your dry feet, and prevent the lotion from rubbing off onto your blankets.
- you’ll feel more relaxed: Practicing a cozy self-care regimen can help you relax and distract yourself from the stressors of day-to-day life, gently and tenderly leading you to a clearer head, better sleep and more focus the next day.
the cons:
- you may accidentally reduce circulation: While wearing socks to bed can absolutely improve circulation, it can also have the opposite effect if the socks that you’ve chosen to wear are too restrictive or too tight. If you have this issue, consider combating it by wearing specialty socks in “wide calf” styles to bed.
- you may encourage poor hygiene: If your socks are too tight, not the right material or just simply aren’t clean enough, your feet won’t be able to breathe properly. This will allow for odors and even infections to occur, so make sure that before you lay down you’ve chosen a clean pair of socks made from a breathable material. Cotton, merino wool and bamboo socks can offer relief for sweaty feet, thanks to breathable and moisture-wicking characteristics.
- you may make yourself overheat: While wearing the right pair of socks to bed can absolutely help you cool down quicker and easier, this isn’t always the case, and it’s likely because of your sock choice. If your socks aren’t breathable, and especially if they’re made from warming materials, not only will your feet get hot, but the heat will be trapped inside of the sock with you.
the verdict?
If you find yourself struggling to go to sleep or stay asleep at night, socks will encourage a major improvement and help you to cruise through REM cycles smoothly. When you consider wearing socks all day and then put on a new pair of socks before bed for the night, though, you may still be left wondering: Is it bad to wear socks all the time?
If you can ensure good hygiene, breathability and fit from your socks, we say go ahead and file “socks” away as a nighttime essential! No matter if you’re aiming for a better night’s sleep or just want to heighten the cozy factor in your life, a quality pair of socks can help!