Starting to feel like you’re coming down with a cold? Sleeping with a pair of warming socks might be all you need. If you’ve heard of “magic socks” or “cold socks”, it’s all the same. This form of hydrotherapy dates back a few centuries. It’s an easy, quick and cost effective way to boost your immune system while you sleep (1). Added bonus, you’ll wake with a boost of energy feeling quite revitalized!
What are warming socks?
Warming socks are a hydrotherapy practice of placing cold, wet socks on your feet then covering them with dry, wool socks, followed by going to sleep (2). Sounds like torture, I know, but once you try it, you realize how relaxing and cozy the experience really is.
How do warming socks work?
The cold wet socks stimulate healing by influencing the circulation of blood and lymph through the body. The contrast of warming and cooling pumps blood in and out of the vital organs. Your body sends blood to your feet to warm them up and dry the socks. Once your feet start to warm up, blood flow leaves your feet and heads back to the trunk of your body. Warm feet then cause the socks to become damp again. Once the socks are damp, your feet get cooler and blood returns. The pump goes around and around while you sleep. When you wake in the morning, your socks will be dry!
Heat causes blood vessels to dilate, and cold causes blood vessels to constrict. Both pain and inflammation are reduced as new blood circulates, bringing with it nutrients, immune cells, and oxygen. As blood is pumped back to the liver and kidneys, the detoxification of metabolic waste, infection, and other toxic materials happens at an expedited rate.
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Resources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4049052/