Hot Summer Night? Try Frozen Socks for Better Sleep

You Should Know: Extremely hot days are not only uncomfortable, but they can also be potentially dangerous. Plus, trying to sleep in a too-hot bedroom is nearly impossible. Socks might be the last thing you want to wear to bed on sweltering nights, but sticking them in the fridge or freezer to chill out first can bring you fast relief so you can sleep.

Going Deeper: Hands and feet both radiate heat when it’s hot and insulate heat when it’s cold. Their ability to thermoregulate is due to the wide, flat surface area, lack of fat, and amount of blood vessels in the palms and soles. When the blood in our hands or feet cool down, the rest of the body follows suit. 

Takeaway: Your body’s core temperature needs to drop to induce sleep, and cooling your feet in hot weather helps to do this. Short of wrapping your feet in ice packs, wearing cold socks is the best way to keep feet cool for long enough for that temp drop to happen. 

Bottom Line: Cooling socks in the fridge or freezer before bed (or any time you’re super-hot) is an easy, cost-effective method that’s even recommended by the Red Cross.