![\"Woman](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SEC_279154108-cc53.jpg\")
\n\t\tI\u2019ve struggled with my sleep for all my life, so I tried out a new trick to revolutionise it (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tI\u2019ve struggled with my sleep for all my life, so I tried out a new trick to revolutionise it (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n
Whether it\u2019s racing thoughts that keep me up all night or a brain that wakes up with three songs in my head at once, I\u2019ve never been a great sleeper.<\/a><\/p>\n Everything started to make sense after I was diagnosed with ADHD<\/a> aged 23 in 2021. There was a reason I was constantly buzzing, and more susceptible to feeling exhausted than my peers.<\/p>\n Now, I have very specific conditions for sleep: reading and magnesium before bed, three hours of screen-free time and a sunset alarm clock, topped off with an eyemask and earplugs playing white noise.\u00a0<\/p>\n My self-invented diva routine does help to quieten my busy brain<\/a>, but there are still times when I\u2019m plagued by insomnia<\/a>, tossing and turning for hours (sometimes all night) while my boyfriend sleeps peacefully next to me.<\/p>\n So, wanting to start 2026 more rested, I asked Dr Tamsin Lewis for an alternative tip for a better night\u2019s kip. I was looking for something unobvious \u2013 and the advice I received certainly delivered.\u00a0<\/p>\n I have always been repulsed by the idea of wearing socks, not just in bed, but whenever I\u2019m not wearing shoes. If I\u2019m in the house, you\u2019d best believe I\u2019m wandering around with my bare feet. I\u2019m blaming it on my neurodiversity, but I hate the sensation of wearing them.<\/p>\n So, when Dr Tamsin Lewis suggested that I wear socks in bed, I was, initially, reluctant. That was, until I understood that there was science behind it.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t I have always been repulsed by the idea of wearing socks, not just in bed, but whenever I\u2019m not wearing shoes. If I\u2019m in the house, then you\u2019d best believe that I\u2019m wandering around with my bare feet. I\u2019m blaming it on my neurodiversity, but I hate the sensation of wearing them. I want to be free.<\/p>\n So, when Dr Tamsin Lewis suggested that I go bold and wear socks in bed to help me get to sleep, I was, initially, reluctant. I can barely wear a jumper in bed (just plain old pyjamas for me, thank you), let alone full-on nylons.<\/p>\n As Dr Tamsin tells Metro<\/strong>, there\u2019s solid physiology backing up the socks in bed theory.<\/p>\n Does wearing socks to bed actually help you get to sleep any faster?<\/p>\n Dr Tamsin tells Metro<\/strong> there\u2019s solid physiology backing up the socks in bed theory.<\/p>\n \u2018Warming your feet increases blood flow to the extremities, which helps your core body temperature drop. That drop is one of the main triggers for sleep onset,\u2019 she explains.<\/p>\n \u2018People fall asleep faster when there\u2019s a bigger temperature difference between their core and hands\/feet. Socks help create that difference.\u2019<\/p>\n To put it simply: when our feet are warm, the brain gets its \u2018safe to sleep now\u2019 memo sooner<\/p>\n \u2018I\u2019ve had patients shave 30\u201340 minutes off sleep onset just by doing this,\u2019 Dr Tamsin claims.<\/p>\n According to one 2018 study,<\/a> sock wearers managed an extra 32 minutes of sleep and improved their rest by 7.6% overall, compared to their counterparts who went with nude toes. It\u2019s also common practice in countries like South Korea<\/a>, as well as footbaths and heating pads, as an alternative method to warming those tootsies.<\/p>\n So, putting Dr Tamsin\u2019s theory to the test, I decided to start off strong with a colourful pair of fluffy (and glittery) socks given to me by a friend.<\/p>\n My week of sock-wearing<\/strong><\/p>\n Pulling them on at the same time as my pyjamas, I tried to fight off the urge to yank them off and throw them into my laundry basket. Things got worse once I put the duvet over my covered feet. I felt claustrophobic, icky, and way too warm to even attempt sleep.<\/p>\n The first night, I was convinced the disruption to my usual routine actually deterred me from drifting off. All I could think was: \u2018I can\u2019t sleep with these socks on. They need to go.\u2019<\/p>\n But after a few nights\u2019 worth of exposure therapy, I began to relent, even warming to the idea of feeling cosy, like my feet were wrapped up in a blanket specifically designed to whisk me away to counting sheep.<\/p>\n I tried it out for a week in total, and I finished the experiment not hating it as much as I thought I would, but without a noticeable difference to my overall amount or quality of sleep.<\/p>\n Aside from the limited success, there\u2019s an annoying side effect to this habit: you get a load more washing. It goes without saying that, come the evening, I\u2019d swap out the socks I\u2019d been wearing all day for a fresh pair, because no one wants slightly sweaty, slightly smelly socks contaminating their fresh linen.<\/p>\n For me, this technique was just about bearable during a week of frosty UK temperatures, but I can\u2019t imagine trying it during a summer heatwave<\/a>. For now, I\u2019ll be keeping my socks firmly off in bed, but the next time I struggle with a bout of insomnia, at least I know there\u2019s another option in my drawer for a potential sense of relief.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tGetting less than this much sleep per night can \u2018cut years off your life\u2019\t\t\t<\/p>\n According to a study by Oregon\u00a0Health<\/a>\u00a0& Science University (OSHU),\u00a0insufficient sleep<\/a>\u00a0could actually \u2018cut years off your life\u2019 \u2014 adding a dark double meaning to the phrase \u2018you can sleep when you\u2019re dead\u2019.<\/p>\n Using a US-wide health habits survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, researchers compared respondents\u2019 answers against life expectancy in their area.<\/p>\n Aside from smoking, getting\u00a0less than seven hours of sleep per night<\/strong>\u00a0was the factor\u00a0most associated with dying younger<\/a>, affecting\u00a0longevity<\/a>\u00a0more than diet,\u00a0exercise<\/a>, socioeconomic status, or loneliness.<\/p>\n \u2018I didn\u2019t expect it to be so strongly correlated to life expectancy,\u2019 commented senior author and OSHU associate professor Andrew McHill, PhD.<\/p>\n \u2018We\u2019ve always thought sleep is important, but this research really drives that point home: people really should\u00a0strive to get seven to nine hours<\/a>\u00a0of sleep if at all possible.\u2019<\/p>\n Do you have a story to share?<\/strong><\/p>\n Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Legs](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-1434614585.jpg\")
\n\t\tI\u2019ve never been a fan of the idea of wearing socks in bed (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
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