How to Warm Your Feet in Bed With These Winter Cold Feet Remedies

Last Updated on September 11, 2023 by Martina McKeough

If you suffer from cold feet in the evening due to poor blood circulation, thyroid problems, or simply because your home is cold then you know how uncomfortable this can feel. Learning to warm your feet in bed at night is going to help you feel much cozier in addition to helping you fall asleep more easily.

I have some great tips that can help you to keep your feet warm and get your blood flowing so you can counteract that poor circulation.

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Why Are My Feet So Cold In Bed?

The fact is that cold feet in bed can be caused by health conditions that impact the blood flow around your body or alternatively some of the most common causes of the problem are related to lifestyle issues that impact your body’s ability to keep your feet warm.

Health conditions such as arterial disease, diabetes, blood pressure, and thyroid problems can all contribute to the problem. In addition, as you get older your activity levels can drop which can also cause issues with the warmth in your feet.

Lifestyle and how you decorate and heat your home, however, can also play a big part. I find that if you tackle the simple issues first you can avoid or lessen the problem significantly which will lead to you feeling more comfortable and content.

Why Can’t I Sleep When My Feet Are Cold?

When your feet are cold at night it suggests that your blood flow to your extremities isn’t working as well as it should. This means that your body is trying to keep your body’s core temperature stable and protect your vital organs due to thermoregulation and limiting the heat that you get to your feet and toes.

Firstly having cold feet isn’t a particularly nice feeling meaning that this discomfort can have a direct impact on your sleep.

Secondly, scientists believe that this problem with blood flow can have an impact on our ability to get to sleep quickly. In fact, studies have shown that warming your feet before bed can help problems with insomnia and make people sleep better.

It, therefore, makes perfect sense to do what you can to try to learn how to warm your feet in bed or in the lead-up to bedtime so that you stay warm and cozy.

Use An Electric Foot Warmer in Bed

I have to say the first suggestion on my list is one of the easiest and best ways to keep not only your feet and toes warm but your body warm as well. I can say this with some confidence because I bought one two years ago for my bed and it has transformed my life in the winter months. The product that made such a difference was an electric blanket.

You see I live in an old Georgian house which isn’t blessed with a great heating system or the most up-to-date insulation. Whilst a log burner has solved my heating needs downstairs some of the bedrooms can get particularly freezing cold when the temperatures start to dip.

Getting into bed used to be a bit of an ordeal as the sheets would be cold and my bare feet freezing cold. It would take ages for them to warm up making going to bed a bit miserable.

Then I bought an electric blanket and wow what a difference. I usually put this on half an hour or so before bed and now getting into bed in winter is a joy as the bed is warm and my feet are toasty.

Electric blankets used to be seen as slightly old-fashioned but they do a great job of heating your bed and your cold feet really easily. Plus in the energy-conscious world, they are relatively inexpensive to run making them a great solution to combat cold temperatures without pushing up your heating bills.

This King Size Electric Blanket with Zones and Timer is a perfect example of the kind of heated mattress pad that can work so well. The timer allows you to set the time when you want it to come on and the different settings mean that you can change the heat in different parts of the bed. The dual controller works exactly like mine meaning that your partner can have different settings if you want so you both can stay warm and cozy.

Try Heating Pads to Warm Your Feet Quickly

If you don’t want anything as large as an electric blanket a heating pad is a great alternative. They are obviously smaller however the area that can be heated is bigger than some of the other methods we’ll talk about such as hot water bottles.

These come in all kinds of colors and styles but they usually consist of a flat area with temperature controls that can be adjusted to your needs. They also usually have an automatic cut off which means that you don’t have to worry about safety issues.

This Snailax Heating Pad and Foot Warmer is very versatile as you can use it for back pain and to warm up muscles. It is also washable which is important if your feet are going to be on it regularly.

The Best Non-Electric Foot Warmer For Bed

If you aren’t in the market for an electric blanket but want a cheaper way to stop cold feet then a simple way to solve the problem is by using a hot water bottle.

Hot water bottles have existed for years as a way of generating heat. The original hot water bottles were bulky and made from ceramic but thankfully the design has been adapted over the years and the best hot water bottles are now made from rubber and generally come with a cover that prevents you from burning yourself from direct contact with the bottle.

A hot water bottle is super easy to use as you just need to fill it with hot water and close the top tightly put on the cover and then you can place it in the bed where your feet and toes sit.

Whilst a hot water bottle is a relatively cheap way of creating heat in the bed its problem it has its limitations. In particular, the heat from the bottle will only cover a small area inside the bed which means if you move your feet you still hit the cold surrounding sheets that make your feet cold again.

So use a hot water bottle as part of your foot warming bedtime regime but use some of our other methods as well to keep yourself warm and your blood circulating well.

Best Socks to Keep Feet Warm in Bed

The next solution is relatively obvious but makes sense and what is think about wearing socks in bed at night to keep your feet warm. If you are wearing the right kind of socks they can keep your feet warm and blood flow working well.

It also makes sense to wear socks before you go to bed as well. This is because you don’t want to allow your feet to get cold in the evening and then have to warm them up again when you are ready to go to sleep.

Wearing socks in the evening along with good insulating slippers means that your feet never get a chance to get cold in the first place so when it comes to your time to rest your feet can go into the bed warm and toasty from the start.

These Fuzzy Socks with Grips can work well as they don’t only keep your feet warm but have sufficient grip to keep you safe if you need to get up during the night to use the toilet.

What is the best material for bed socks? Well, you can’t go wrong when you wear socks from breathable materials such as wool socks. Having cozy and soft materials also makes them feel more pleasant on your feet. If you are willing to spend a little cash you could splash out on some luxurious cashmere bed socks otherwise merino wool warm socks will work just as well.

How to Keep Warm In Bed Without Socks

Ok, my next tip is a bit of a strange one and a tip that has come from the military and that is to wear a hat in bed.

Whilst the thought of wearing a hat in bed to keep your feet warm may sound a bit strange it does also make some sense.

Think about the fact that why you lie in bed with the covers up it is usually your head that is above the covers which means that this is the part of your body that will start to lose heat. If that part is covered your body stops the heat loss and your blood circulation remains constant. This means that your body doesn’t have to alter blood flow from the extremities to try and keep your core temperature regulated.

Whilst this sleeping cap is a great example of what our ancestors used to wear in bed there are plenty of other designs on the market that will do the job. Sleeping caps can also help patients who have lost their hair through chemotherapy to keep warm at night so they can be incredibly useful.

Stop Cold Feet When Lying Down With a Hairdryer

Learning how to warm your feet in bed can also involve unconventional methods and this is one I regularly used to stop my cold feet before I bought my electric blanket and that was to use a hairdryer.

Now of course you could just blast your feet with the heat from the dryer before popping into the bed which could work providing you are careful not to burn yourself. However, that is not the method I used to help combat the cold weather.

Instead before getting in the bed, I would use my hairdryer to warm the sheets in bed by pulling up the duvet cover slightly and using the heat to blast the area where I would be lying.

Of course, you will need to do this just before you get into the sheets and duvet as the heat won’t last for long periods of time. It was however enough to make my feet and body feel warmer so they weren’t shocked by chilly bed sheets. That heat allowed my feet to stay warm just as I was falling asleep and solved the problem of my feet freezing because of cold bed linen.

Cold Toes at Night – Try Toe Warmers

Toe warmers are another simple solution to help cold feet and improve blood circulation. Obviously, they are targeting only a small part of your body but for many people that is more than enough to solve the problem.

There are various types of toe warmers on the market to help keep you toasty. Neoprene toe warmers like the Hot Sockee are often worn inside shoes or boots when people are working or walking outdoors. These simply consist of a sock-type contraption that only covers the lower half of your foot and is backless.

Using a Hot Sockee will work well for you if you find that it is your toes that particularly feel the cold rather than the whole foot. If you find that your entire foot gets cold then obviously you would be better off with traditional bed socks.

Hothands Toe Warmers are an alternative product that actually can be stuck to your socks and activated to generate heat. This means you would get a double benefit as the socks would be helping to keep your feet warm and these would be adding to the warmth. Of course, if you are using these regularly the price can add up so perhaps they are something to use on very cold winter evenings.

Stop Cold Feet When Sleeping By Taking a Foot Soak or Hot Bath

Whilst there are plenty of methods to stop cold feet at night it is worth talking about methods that you can use before you ever enter the bedroom.

This is because on a typical night most people wind down in front of the television or read before heading upstairs to the bedroom. As they are inactive you are not keeping yourself as warm as you are when you are up and doing things.

As you are inactive it can be harder to heat the extremities especially if you already have poor circulation so your feet will start to get cold quickly. Trying to find ways to warm your feet before bed can really help you not only feel more comfortable but get to sleep easier as well.

There is a good reason why many people recommend a warm bath before bed as a way to heat your body up and relax the muscles. A warm bath is a great solution to help make your feet warmer.

If however, a hot bath is a little too much for you a warm foot bath can do the trick just as easily. Soak your feet in the foot bath for ten minutes or so before bed and you are warming your cold feet just before you head to sleep.

Some of the latest Foot Spas Are Heated and have massage rollers as well to get your feet moving in the warm water. This one enables you to regulate the temperature as well so you can get as much heat as you need without feeling uncomfortable.

How to Keep Your Feet Warm By Moving Your Body

Another method to stop your feet from getting too cold is by doing some light exercise before bed. When your body is moving around you are helping to improve blood flow to the extremities and preventing your feet from freezing because of inactivity.

Yoga, walking around, Jumping jacks and general movement can all help in the lead-up to bedtime. Just make sure you choose the right activity level for your capabilities.

If you have poor circulation and find the movement a problem investing in a foot circulation machine can help to improve blood circulation may also help and this can be used whilst you are sitting down.

Don’t Walk Around the House Barefoot

Another tip that I have learned from living in an old house is don’t walk around the house barefoot if you want to keep your feet warm. Even thick socks won’t combat the problem of cold wood or stone floors. This is why you should invest in a really good pair of slippers.

Slippers with a good solid base and sheep fur inside them are an absolute must in my cold house and solve the problem of freezing feet. Ugg Ansley Slippers are a great example of slippers that are known for looking stylish whilst providing warmth even in cold old houses. I tend to buy a new pair every year or so and they have worked really well even in my old cranky house.

Also, don’t forget what you have on your floors will impact the warmth of your feet. Where possible have carpets and rugs to prevent cold floors from freezing your feet. If you can afford the heating bills invest in some underfloor heating and be prepared for your feet to thank you!

Winter Cold Feet Remedies That Don’t Involve Using Your Partner

Of course, if you do have cold feet I had to mention that warming them up on your partner in bed is a big no-no but can be fun if you want to see them shrieking from the cold. Yes, your partner’s body may be warm but they aren’t your own personal heat source.

Hopefully, my tips on how to warm your feet in bed have shown you that there are plenty of things that you can do to combat those freezing feet and many of our winter cold feet remedies don’t have to cost a fortune to be effective. Enjoy using them and hopefully, they will keep your feet nice and toasty even on the coldest of winter days.