Maybe your family wears matching pajamas, or perhaps you sleep in nothing at all — when it comes to what to wear to bed, people have pretty set preferences. But one topic that’s less considered: whether or not to cover up your feet.
If you’re considering putting on a pair of wooly socks tonight, you might wonder about how it affects sleep. Though there isn’t a ton of research available, as it turns out, studies show that socks can be beneficial for sleep — but they’re by no means a must.
How socks can affect your sleep
Temperature has a big effect on sleep — both the temperature of the environment you’re in and that of your body. The optimal sleep temperature is when the room is cool, ideally between 60 and 68ºF, and as the body cools for sleep, that can make for very cold extremities. Nighttime rituals to prepare us for sleep often include methods of warming the body, such as drinking tea or taking a hot bath. These habits help lower our core temperature, signaling to the brain that it’s time for sleep.
But as the core cools, the feet and hands present their own challenge, as the extremities may get chilly while the rest of the body is warm thanks to circulatory problems. Even people who generally are warm enough at night may have cold feet, which can make it harder to fall and stay asleep.
Wearing socks to bed can actually help you manage symptoms for some health problems. For those who deal with Raynaud’s syndrome, wearing socks can help with keeping you warm as the disease causes blood vessels to tighten and reduces circulation, which can leave your skin cold and discolored. Wearing socks to bed can also help minimize hot flashes for people going through menopause.
Although it’s not heavily studied, there is research that suggests there are some benefits to sleeping in your socks, especially in cooler environments. A 2018 study found that participants who wore socks to bed slept 32 minutes longer, had 7.5 times fewer nighttime awakenings, and sleep latency that was 7.5 minutes shorter than those who slept with no socks on. However, a notable exception is those who get overheated at night, since thermal discomfort can interrupt sleep. If your duvet or comforter is especially warm, it may be preferable to kick off those socks before you nod off.
Should you wear socks to bed?
“Whether you wear socks or not is largely personal preference,” says Sleep.com advisor Dr. Chris Winter, neurologist and author of “The Sleep Solution.” “If you’re somebody who feels very cold, maybe you have circulation problems...that’s a big part of the equation. You should feel comfortable. But if you’re like, ‘Look, I’m just trying to improve my sleep, are you saying socks for me would be better?’ Probably not.”
But socks can be helpful, especially for those who set their bedroom thermostat to the mid-60s.
How to decide if you should wear socks to bed
The key is to keep your temperature regulated — you want to be cool enough for optimal sleep, not so cold that you’re uncomfortable, but you don’t want to be too hot, either. “That's one of the things I don’t like about sleeping in socks or heavy pajamas: You’re kind of stuck with them, now you’re sleeping with all this heavy stuff on,” Winter says. “If you’re cold, pull some blankets on. If you’re hot, kick them off. But when you’re wearing something, it’s not quite as easy to take it off at night.”
What to do if you sometimes have cold feet
One approach is to split the difference: Wear those warm, fuzzy socks at night, and take them off right before you fall asleep, Winter suggests. “What the research shows is that pre-warming does seem to be helpful,” he says. “As you’re initiating sleep and going to bed, maybe getting in bed and then after you’ve read for 15 or 30 minutes, take your socks off and be in this cooler situation.”
What type of socks are best to wear to bed
If you want to wear socks when you sleep, make sure you’re wearing the best socks for bed, since there are many different materials and designs to choose from.
Compression socks
Compression socks (or stockings) are specifically designed to fit snugly so they lightly squeeze your feet and legs to improve blood flow. They’re meant for people with certain medical conditions like diabetes, people at risk of varicose veins or blood clots, people who have had surgery recently, and pregnant people. Athletes also use them to soothe sore muscles and improve performance.
Though they’re designed to boost circulation, compression socks are not necessary for sleep and may not even help when worn to bed. Compression socks are most helpful when you’re up and moving, or when you’re sitting for long stretches, like on an airplane, when blood can pool in the ankles. In those positions, compression socks help move the blood from the lower parts of the body back up to the heart.
“When you’re lying down, gravity is making it much easier for the blood to return to the heart because it’s just kind of floating along a river instead of trying to float uphill,” Winter explains. “That’s the one time where your body’s having the least amount of resistance to getting the blood back, because you’re horizontal.”
Plus, since compression socks are designed to be tight, they can be hard to remove in the middle of the night if you overheat, so they could actually disturb your sleep.
Sleeping socks
When choosing the best socks for sleeping, aim to wear clean, dry socks, meaning not just hopping into bed in the moist pair you’ve had on all day. This will keep your sheets clean and dry, and minimize tracking of dirt and bacteria into your bed. Natural fibers can help with breathability. Depending on your preferences, soft merino wool, bamboo, cotton, and even cashmere can be great for sleeping.
At the end of the day, people who are constantly battling the cold or have circulatory problems may appreciate keeping their feet warm in a pair of socks. Otherwise, do what feels best for you and helps you get your best rest.
