Can't sleep? Scientists reveal foolproof FOOT hack that's guaranteed to help you doze off

Daily Mail​

4 days ago

There's nothing worse than tossing and turning in bed, unable to doze off.
But the days of counting sheep are finally a thing of the past.
That's because scientists have revealed an ingenious foot-based hack that's guaranteed to help you doze off.
A viral Instagram post, shared by the account @biohackyourselfmedia, recommends sleeping with one foot outside the covers.
'Ever wondered why you instinctively stick one foot out from under the covers?' the post reads.
'Turns out, science has your back—and your feet!
'A fascinating 2023 study published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology has confirmed that sleeping with one foot outside the blanket isn't just a quirky habit—it's a legit sleep hack.'
While this sounds simple, research has shown that the change really can make a big difference to your quality of sleep.
The reason this unusual trick works is because a reduction in core body temperature is one of the key signs that tells your body it's time to fall asleep.
As the body's temperature falls, a signal is sent to your brain, triggering the production of melatonin - a chemical that eases the body to sleep and regulates the circadian rhythm.
In their post, @biohackyourselfmedia says: 'The soles of your feet have special blood vessels designed to dump heat fast.
'Exposing just one foot to cooler air helps lower your core body temperature.'
Dropping your core body temperature will raise your melatonin levels and reduce the time taken to fall asleep as well as improve overall sleep quality.
On social media, commenters flocked to share the success they have had using this simple hack.
One commenter wrote: 'I do it always. Usually the whole one leg.'
Another added: 'I've been doing this my whole life.'
On Instagram, commenters responding the hack shared how much this simple trick had helped them to sleep
However, some commenters pointed out that sleeping with a foot exposed to the air is a trigger for a surprisingly common fear.
As one commenter wrote: 'This is what a foot grabbing monster would say.'
'So the shadow man can pull me under the bed!!! Nice try but I don't think so,' another chimed in.
While another asked: 'Who wrote this, the boogie man?!'
Others had more practical concerns about sleeping with their leg exposed to the open air.
A commenter complained that this might work fine 'until the mosquitos attack.'
As another added that this is a good plan 'unless you have a cat.'
While some people might not like the idea, science shows that keeping your feet cool really is one of the best ways to drift off.
Although it isn't clarified in the post, the 2023 paper mentioned is likely a study conducted by Japanese researchers on the effects of bathing before bedtime.
This study found that having a long, hot bath before getting into bed significantly improved sleep duration and sped up falling asleep.
This might sound counterintuitive, but it is the total drop in core body temperature which causes the body's sleep reaction and not just being cold.
By temporarily raising the core body temperature one to two hours before bed, you can create a bigger change and a more powerful sleep reaction.
Getting your skin hot in the bath triggers a process that causes blood to rush to veins near the surface of the skin in a process called vasodilation.
When you get out of the bath, more blood will be running through the exposed veins on your feet, allowing for even faster cooling.
One 2023 study conducted by Chinese researchers recommended that taking a 24-minute footbath at 42°C (108°F) before bed was the optimal way to increase sleep quality.
Keeping your feet exposed afterwards allows for even faster cooling and a greater sleep reaction.
In order to boost the cooling power of your feet, studies recommend taking a hot bath before bed. This opens up the blood vessels near the surface and improves cooling rates. These graphs show how a long bath before bed reduces the time taken to fall asleep (top) and improves sleep efficiency (bottom)
But if you let your feet get too cold the blood will stop flowing to the surface - a process called vasoconstriction - and the cooling process will be inhibited.
Some studies have even recommended wearing socks to bed in order to maintain vasodilation and keep the core body temperature cool.
A study conducted by Korean researchers found that participants slept significantly better and fell asleep faster while wearing warming socks that kept their feet 1.3°C (2.34°F) warmer.
On average this led to participants getting 30 minutes extra sleep per night and falling asleep 7.5 minutes quicker.
ABOUT CIRCIDIAN RHYTHMS
Our internal circadian rhythms, or circadian clock, is responsible for waking our bodies up in the morning and ensuring they get a good night's rest.
In a healthy person, cortisol levels peak at around 8am, which wakes us up (in theory), and drop to their lowest at 3am the next day, before rising back to its peak five hours later.
Ideally, this 8am peak will be triggered by exposure to sunlight, if not an alarm. When it does, the adrenal glands and brain will start pumping adrenaline.
By mid-morning, the cortisol levels start dropping, while the adrenaline (for energy) and serotonin (a mood stabilizer) keep pumping.
At midday, metabolism and core body temperature ramp up, getting us hungry and ready to eat.
After noon, cortisol levels start their steady decline. Metabolism slows down and tiredness sets in.
Gradually the serotonin turns into melatonin, which induces sleepiness.
Our blood sugar levels decrease, and at 3am, when we are in the middle of our sleep, cortisol levels hit a 24-hour low.