Wet socks for better sleep? Not for me!

The field of sleep study is filled with a lot of pseudo-science.

Take this insomnia solution I saw recently.

It calls for putting on a pair of cotton socks dunked in cold water and wrung out lightly. Then, put on a pair of dry woolen socks over the wet socks, wrap your feet in a towel and go to bed.

Supposedly, you'll sleep like a baby.

The cure was published in a book called Health20 by integrative physician Alexa Fleckenstein and Roanne Weisman, but a Bavarian priest introduced the concept more than 100 years ago.

I suffer from a few insomnia problems, mainly with sleep onset, and sometimes I get pretty desperate to get myself to fall asleep. However, I'm not up for trying this one. This might work for some people, but I don’t think I could fall asleep with wet, squishy feet.

I have found the theory behind the remedy to be sound, though. Studies show cold feet and insomnia are linked, which I have found to be true. If my feet are cold, the rest of me is cold, too. Thus, if I warm my feet up, it helps me fall asleep.

Most nights, I sleep wearing a simple pair of slipper socks, especially in the winter. My husband quite enjoys making fun of me for this – the slipper socks are not very attractive. I retort that the alternative is for me to toss and turn all night (which he also complains about) or put my icy-cold feet on him.

What is the fool-proof remedy for a good night’s sleep? I don’t think there is one, at least not a 100 percent approach. But rather than rely on wet socks, it's far better to practice good sleep hygiene.

Sleep hygiene is the practice of following simple guidelines to ensure more restful, effective sleep. Some of them are:
— going to bed and getting up at the same time every day
— exercising early in the evening
— avoiding caffeine and nicotine if they affect your sleep
— avoiding alcohol in the evening
— avoiding the TV and computer screen an hour or more before bedtime. Or better yet, — don't have either one in your bedroom
— keeping the bedroom quiet, cool and dark
— using the bed only for sleep and sex

All of those may not work for every person, but they make more sense to me than wrapping your feet in wet socks.