Why Wearing Socks to Bed Could Help You Fall Asleep Faster

Cozy feet could be the secret to a better night's rest. Sleep specialists explain how a simple pair of socks can kick-start the body's natural wind-down process.

Social media, and the internet at large, is brimming with tips and tricks to help people fall asleep faster. While many aren't exactly backed by science, keeping your socks on when you climb into bed is one of the few exceptions.

"It sounds counterintuitive, I know, but by wearing socks to bed and warming your feet, you may actually lower your core body temperature and fall asleep faster," said Michelle Drerup, director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Cleveland Clinic.

Aparna Bhat, MD, shares the same view. "It's part of your body's temperature regulation," says Dr. Bhat. "As your blood vessels open, they release more heat. This decreases your body's core temperature and helps signal that it's time to sleep."

Here's how it works: during the day, a typical adult's core temperature rises to between 97 and 99 degrees Fahrenheit, averaging 98.6 F, while children 10 and younger may run slightly cooler. As night approaches, that temperature begins to dip by one to two degrees, preparing the body for sleep.

Distal vasodilation, a process that widens the blood vessels in the extremities (mainly the hands and feet), helps the body shed heat through the skin. When the skin warms up, the core temperature cools down, which is exactly where a cozy pair of socks proves useful.

"By making your feet warmer, you're opening up blood vessels to help cool down the rest of the body," Drerup said. "So increasing the blood circulation to your feet results in a lower core temperature."

A small study from 2018 backs this up, finding that young men drifted off nearly eight minutes faster and slept 32 minutes longer when they wore socks to bed, with fewer wake-ups throughout the night.

To maximize the effect, sleep experts recommend keeping the bedroom at around 65 F so your core temperature stays cool throughout the night. Of course, the ideal varies from person to person, with some needing a room closer to 60 F and others preferring a warmer 70 F.

Another tip is to take a warm shower or bath before bed. According to Drerup, the principle is the same.