Why Cold Feet Can Keep You Awake: A Tip to Fall Asleep Faster

Cold feet may be the reason you're struggling to fall asleep. Learn how warming up your feet before bed can help regulate your core temperature and thereby improve sleep quality.
Sep 9 / Erinn Rist
Nobody likes cold feet. But did you know that having cold feet can actually prevent you from falling and staying asleep?

Here’s how it works: for your body to fall asleep, your core temperature needs to drop by 1 to 2 degrees. It’s a key part of your circadian rhythm and an essential signal for sleep.

When your feet are cold, your body tries to compensate by raising its core temperature to pump more blood to warm your extremities. However, vasoconstriction (when your blood vessels narrow) can prevent that blood from reaching your feet, leaving them cold and your body too warm to rest.

By warming your feet before bed, you can encourage vasodilation, the widening of blood vessels. This helps your body efficiently pump blood to your extremities, cooling your core temperature and promoting better sleep.

Next time you’re having trouble drifting off, check your feet! A simple solution like warming them up could make all the difference in helping you fall asleep faster.

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