Taiwan News
Date: 017/02/15
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — When cold weather sets in, keeping warm is essential for a

good night’s sleep, but should you wear socks to sleep? Experts say it depends.

Media reported that Japanese physicians had advised against wearing socks to sleep because the soles perspire actively to regulate body temperature, making socks wet and the body feel even colder. Moreover, they are against wearing socks to the bed also because they will impede blood circulation.

Kang Hung-ming (康宏銘), director of family medicine at Taipei-based ReShining Clinic, said that the Japanese physicians’ theory is somewhat different from traditional knowledge. In principle, body parts wrapped inside clothing are easier to keep warm as the body heat would not dissipate easily. As a Chinese saying goes, “When the limbs are kept warm, the body will be warm,” Kang said.

However, even during a cold night, it’s not a good idea to go to bed wearing too much clothing, he said. The human body has a mechanism to modulate its need for energy, and the metabolism slows down during sleep; therefore, it’s not necessary to wear too many clothes when sleeping, Kang said.    [FULL  STORY]