Cold feet might not be the greatest thing at the wedding alter, but they could help you get better sleep at night.
According to researchers at Victoria University, sleeping with your feet outside the blanket could help you get a better night’s sleep because it helps regulate your body’s temperature. See, when you reach your deepest point of sleep, your body temperature is one or two degrees lower than normal. Keeping your body at this cool temperature, especially during the warm summer months, is essential for falling and staying asleep.
Dorothy Bruck, a sleep psychologist and professor of psychology at Victoria University, said keeping your feet outside of the blanket assists with thermoregulation – or keeping your body at an ideal temperature.
“If it’s a hot night, then it’s important to have your hands and feet at comfortable temperatures,” said Bruck. “You can’t go to sleep if your feet are either too hot or too cold. It’s all about getting the right balance.”
As your body cools, blood flow increases around your skin, which makes your skin feel warmer. The warm heat is then released through your skin to get your body to an ideal temperature. Your hands and feet are ideal places for your body to release heat for two reasons:
- They are largely hairless, allowing for easy heat release.
- They contain arteriovenous anastomoses, aka blood vessels that help get rid of excess heat.
While keeping your feet outside the blanket can help regulate your body temperature during the summer months, if your room temperature is cold, you may lose too much heat if your hands and feet are exposed.
“It entirely depends on what the ambient room temperature is,” said Bruck. “You can get heat loss very quickly from your hands and feet.”
Dr. Silverman comments
This research makes complete sense, especially as the temperatures begin to rise. Your body needs to keep its temperature at an ideal point, and it can’t do that if your feet are caught under a blanket on a particularly warm summer night.
This is another reason why most people sleep without socks on. Socks can make it difficult for your feet to regulate heat.
Related source: SMH.edu