9 tips against cold feet in bed
While I'm typing this, my feet feel ice cold. Actually, I've always had trouble with these cold feet, so that's not really a surprise, but especially in the evenings, I can get really annoyed by it. Especially when I'm in bed and can't possibly fall asleep because of it. What turns out: I'm not the only one with this problem. About a third of all women suffer from this.
It actually has everything to do with heat loss. Your feet want to counteract this by narrowing the blood vessels in your feet. But less heat loss leads to colder feet, because that narrowing makes it feel like you've stepped into an ice bath. Especially in the cold months, this can be the case, because then you naturally lose even more heat. During the day, you might not notice it much, but at night — when you lie still — you cool down much faster. Quite inconvenient, since it's not very comfortable to sleep with those cold feet. Luckily, I have nine tips to counteract this as much as possible. Tired of those icicles in bed? Try the following tricks. Hopefully, success is guaranteed.
1. Wear lots of layers and wool socks
The warmer your body is, the less quickly you will suffer from cold feet. Therefore, it is important that your torso and head stay warm enough. Your body then doesn't need blood from your feet to warm the rest of your body. Wool socks are also recommended because wool insulates and can absorb more moisture than, for example, cotton. Wool socks keep your feet warm and dry.
2. Don't drink caffeine
A nice warm cup of coffee before going to sleep? Don't do it. Caffeine not only keeps you wide awake, but it also narrows the blood vessels in your feet, making them get cold even faster. An absolute no-go.
3. More hot peppers
Peppers contain the substance capsaicin, which releases endorphins in our body. This substance not only makes us happy but also promotes our circulation and raises our body temperature. A warm body leads to warm feet.
4. Move more
Before going to sleep, give the circulation in your legs a boost with a few simple exercises. For example, stand on your toes and then lower back to the ground, repeat this a few times. Already in bed? Then move your feet under the covers. The more you move, the warmer your feet.
5. Eat Omega-3 fats
Omega-3 is good for circulation and is therefore a good remedy for cold feet. In terms of food, you can get these fats from fatty fish like mackerel and salmon. Not a fan of fish? Then you can also buy Omega-3 supplements.
6. No more crossing your legs
This position can cause your blood vessels to constrict, which is of course not beneficial for the circulation in your feet. Additionally, you can develop varicose veins from this position in the long term. Just don't do it.
7. Take a contrast bath before going to bed
A contrast bath: I had never heard of this, but it seems to be the golden tip. How does it work? First, keep your feet in warm water for one to three minutes and alternate that by dipping your feet in cold water for about 20 seconds. Repeat this about five times and then dry your feet well. Definitely worth trying.
8. Put a hot water bottle in bed
About a quarter of an hour before going to sleep, place your hot water bottle (or cherry pit bag) in bed so that your feet are warmed up immediately. Important: place it where your feet will be.
9. Massage your feet
Foot massages stimulate circulation. Give yourself a lovely foot massage with some oil before going to sleep. Then immediately put on your socks. This keeps your feet warm, and you'll wake up the next day with velvety soft feet. Win-win!
Source: cosmopolitan.com
