The "Sleep Geek" has weighed in on a study which says socks could improve sleep
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Sleep expert James Wilson discussed the science behind wearing socks to bed on This Morning
Sleep expert James Wilson discussed the science behind wearing socks to bed on This Morning
(Image: ITV)
If you're looking to improve your sleep quality, this one technique could blow your socks off – or keep them on, as some scientists suggest.
Socks in bed are a divisive topic, but some research suggests that wearing your socks to sleep could actually help you fall asleep better. A study published in 2018 found that men who wore socks to bed fell asleep eight minutes faster, slept 32 minutes longer, and woke up less during the night compared to those who slept barefoot.
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The authors wrote in the study: "Feet warming using bed socks during sleep in a cool environment had positive effects on sleep quality by shortened sleep onset, lengthened sleep time, and lessened awakenings during sleep but had no significant influence on core body temperature.
"These results imply that sleep quality could be improved by manipulation of the foot temperature throughout sleeping."
Wearing socks to bed could help you sleep better
Wearing socks to bed could help you sleep better(Image: IYA)
How does it work?
Experts say it all comes down to body temperature. James Wilson, the sleep expert known as the 'Sleep Geek', told This Morning presenters, Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley, on Wednesday (March 26): "Your feet control your core temperature. If you make your feet warmer, it makes you sweat a little bit and drops your core temperature – and that helps you sleep."
However, Wilson acknowledged that many may feel uncomfortable keeping their socks on throughout the night.
"The problem is some people love wearing socks to bed. For some people it's too much and they can't stand it," he added.
But for those keen to give it a go, this is probably how socks help you sleep: your core temperature naturally drops before sleep to signal it's time to go to bed. This happens as blood vessels dilate, or widen, to increase heat loss through the skin.
Wearing different pair of sock on white background
Surprisingly, sleeping in socks could lower your body temperature(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
"By making your feet warmer, you’re opening up blood vessels to help cool down the rest of the body," behavioral sleep disorders specialist Michelle Drerup told CNN. "So increasing the blood circulation to your feet results in a lower core temperature."
"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," Drerup added.
How reliable is the science?
Wilson said on This Morning that the existing evidence isn't hugely reliable. "The research this is based on used six people – and it's all over social media," he said.
The 2018 study looked at the effects of wearing socks on just six young men, which is a tiny sample size. To draw reliable conclusions from a scientific study, a much larger group is needed.
Much more research is needed to fully understand how wearing socks to bed might affect your sleep quality. For now, you're best off sleeping in whatever you feel most comfortable in – whether that's with socks or without.