If you’ve been finding yourself tossing and turning in an attempt to fall asleep each night, there’s a new method to add to the usual glass of warm milk, counting sheep and dimming your electronics an hour before bed: Using your feet to get you to dreamland.
According to a “The Science of Us” video posted by New York Magazine, all it takes to quickly fall asleep once you hit the hay is sticking one or both feet out from under your covers. Sound weird? Keep reading for the science behind it.
How Uncovering Your Feet Leads To Better Sleep
Having a warm body temperature naturally brings your body into a state of alertness, while having a cool internal temperature signals your body to go into a state of sleepiness. When you expose your feet to the cool air outside of your blankets, the blood vessels in your soles (called arteriovenous anastomoses) help quickly dissipate your body heat. Basically, these blood vessels supply blood to the veins located just below the skin surface, and when the skin cools down, the blood there cools down. The chilled blood is then circulated throughout your body, bringing your core temperature down and your mind into a more complete state of sleepiness.
And that, dear readers, is how your feet can cure insomnia and give you a better night’s rest.