Sticking your feet out of the blanket may improve your sleep, scientists reveal
3:57 PM EST, December 21, 2023
Sleep is a basic need for everyone. Our bodies use this time to regenerate after a demanding day. Once we wake up, we're ready for another day, that is, provided we maintain good sleep hygiene.
Eight hours of uninterrupted rest, comfy pajamas, fresh-smelling bedding, and the right room temperature. These factors combined assure a successful morning, and even an entire productive day.
Why do we stick our feet out from under the blanket?
If you find yourself sticking your foot out from under the blanket while trying to sleep or during sleep, know that this action is not random. Instinctively, without fully knowing why, you ventilate your feet and soon after, you find yourself in a deep sleep. You don't want to uncover your whole body as it might make you feel cold, but you feel a tad too hot. The underlying cause is the desire to cool your body. Sticking a foot out seems like the perfect compromise.
Reducing body temperature significantly aids the process of falling asleep and improves sleep quality. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have assessed this in their comprehensive study. Surprisingly, they observed that individuals with insomnia, upon lowering their body and room temperatures, could sleep throughout the night. They advocate for an optimum bedroom temperature of 64-68 degrees Fahrenheit.
Why specifically our feet?
We could stick our hands out or uncover our torso, so why our feet? The answer is simple. Our feet have temperature receptors and are where body heat escapes from. When feeling hot, our natural reaction is to remove our shoes. Conversely, when we're cold, we tend to wear socks.
- In the feet, arteriovenous anastomoses connect arteries to veins. When it's warm, they dilate, allowing more blood to reach the skin and cool us down, explains Prof. Natalie Dautovich from the University of Alabama.
In conclusion, sticking your feet out from under the blanket during sleep is a natural body temperature regulation mechanism that improves the quality and comfort of our sleep.
