Sleeping With Socks On: Good or Bad?

To wear or not to wear socks to bed? That's the question. Sleeping with socks on is a divisive topic. Many people enjoy wearing socks to bed, while others are certain that it's wrong or find it uncomfortable. The sock wizards that we are, we knew this had to be discussed. Read on to find out if wearing socks to bed is a great idea or a bad one. Let's put this age-old debate to bed (pun intended) once and for all.

So, What Does Happen When You Sleep in Socks?

Apparently, quite a few things. Surprisingly, there's some research done on the topic and how sleeping with socks on impacts your sleep and health. Let’s cover the advantages first.

Improved Circulation

Sleeping with socks on improves circulation by boosting blood flow to the feet. A healthy oxygen flow is ensured by good blood circulation, allowing your lungs, heart and muscles to perform efficiently.

Prevention of Hot Flushes 

When you’re struggling with hot flushes, a good night’s sleep becomes difficult to achieve. The good news is, wearing socks to bed can help prevent them. They make the blood vessels dilate and help you cool down faster. They also speed up the rate at which your core temperature drops. Simply put, the blood flow to the feet will help you lower the body temperature. An additional bonus is that warm feet can trigger specific bodily functions that tell your brain that it’s time to doze off. No more tossing and turning!

Disadvantages of Wearing Socks to Bed

Now, let’s take a quick look at the cons of sleeping in socks.

Unbreathable Material

As you now know, wearing the right socks to bed can help you cool down faster. However, this can also have the opposite effect if the socks are not made from breathable material. Another downside of unbreathable material (that, and dirty socks, of course) is it can cause poor hygiene and the risk of odours and infections increase.

Pro tip:  Don’t forget to change your socks every night and choose materials that are breathable.

Reduced circulation

Although socks can improve circulation when you’re sleeping, they can also do the opposite. If they’re too tight or restrictive, the blood flow will decrease.

Pro tip: You can try to go a size up from what you would normally wear during the day. That way, you’ll achieve a looser fit and prevent the socks from being too tight.

Bottom Line

So, should we avoid sleeping with socks on? Not if you swap out your socks every day religiously, choose breathable materials and the perfect size for comfort. And to make sleeping in socks extra fun, you could consider buying some cool socks specifically for this. You could get socks with sheep on them so that when you're struggling to fall asleep, you don't need to count them in your mind but wear them on your feet instead and drift off faster.