The Importance of Keeping Feet Warm

Do you know the importance of keeping feet warm? Winter and low temperatures can have a detrimental impact on our health if we don’t take certain steps to look after ourselves.

Our feet are often overlooked when it comes to matters of well-being but in fact, they play an important role in our wellness. In the summer months, we may be concerned with how our feet look in sandals and flip-flops but forget that the colder weather brings a different set of challenges.

Learn why keeping your feet warm this coming winter season may be more important than you think and learn some simple ways to prevent the temperature drop from causing problems.

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Does Warming Feet Help Circulation?

The first thing you need to understand is that cold weather can impact your circulation. In very simple terms when you are cold your body has a system called thermoregulation in order to keep your body temperature constant in order to keep you alive and protect your vital organs.

When you are in cold temperatures your body will redistribute heat to the core of your body and that means restricting the bloody supply to the extremities such as your hands and feet. As the blood circulating in the extremities is less that makes your hands and feet feel cold.

Keeping the blood flowing to all of your body is important because if you don’t you are going to end up with cold feet that can’t seem to warm up. In extreme weather conditions, this can lead to frostbite.

By keeping your feet warm you are helping your circulation and preventing this problem. A simple way to do this is way wearing a good pair of thick socks to stop your feet from getting cold.

Why Do Feet Determine Your Body Temperature?

The fact is that our hands as well as our feet cover a reasonably large area and are the first places that we lose heat from when the weather is cold.

If your feet start to get cold and are losing heat then your body has to work a little bit harder to heat the rest of your body to keep it at a constant temperature.

When you wear a hat on your head or put on extra thick socks and wear footwear with insulating properties you stop losing heat so quickly and therefore start to feel warmer. This warmth isn’t just felt in the extremities but makes you feel warmer in general. This is why in winter it makes sense to take the time to wear the right clothes and boots to keep yourself comfortable.

Why Do I Get Cramp When My Feet Are Cold?

The importance of keeping feet warm has many different health impacts on your body and for some people cold feet equal cramp.

Cramps in the calves and feet can be incredibly painful and wake you up in the night screaming in pain. Whilst in most cases they aren’t a sign of any major health condition they still impact your well-being.

The belief is that when your feet are outside your covers they start to get cold and that impacts your blood vessels which become constricted causing the painful cramp. Wearing socks in bed is a simple way to keep your feet and toes toasty so that the cramping doesn’t occur.

Do Cold Feet Make You Sick?

For years many people have sworn that getting their feet cold causes them to get a cold or flu more easily but is this really the case?

Well in fact controlled trials were done on this and indeed there is an increased chance you will get a cold or flu-like illness if you allow your feet to get cold for too long. The actual mechanics of how this happens are still not well researched but this trial showed that there is a correlation.

So if you want to avoid getting ill this winter with a nasty cold it makes sense to do what you can to protect your feet and keep them warm and dry.

Why Do I Get Sleepy When My Feet Are Warm?

Did you know that when you keep your feet warm you are more likely to be able to fall asleep faster and have a better night’s sleep?

Research has shown that when you keep your feet warm just before bedtime you are able to get to sleep faster and have fewer problems with insomnia.

As getting a good night’s rest is important for your health it is good to know that this simple method can help with sleep problems and improve your wellness.

Warm Feet Help You Relax

Have you ever felt relaxed and comfortable when your feet were cold? The fact is that when you have warmer feet and your body is comfortable you are going to feel more relaxed and at ease.

Think of the concept of coziness and how it makes you feel. When your feet and toes are warm and comfortable the rest of your body feels more at ease as well.

This is why people think about placing their feet in warm water to relax and warm their bodies. This is why we wear cozy slippers and thick socks when the weather changes. It is also the reason why we choose to place thick comfortable throws over our legs to stay warm and content. Keeping your feet warm is an essential part of any good winter relaxation self-care routine and gives you feelings of positive well-being.

Cold Feet Make You Cranky

Having cold feet doesn’t just impact your physical health but your mental health as well. When you feel cold it doesn’t help your general mood and can make you feel downright miserable.

Very few people for example would enjoy being out walking in damp cold conditions and having wet or cold feet. Most of us would be desperate to get home to somewhere warm so that we felt better.

Being stuck somewhere where you have to put up with the cold ground impacting your whole body is never nice and is going to make you cranky at the very least. The importance of keeping your feet warm in this case means the difference between feeling fed up and upset vs happy and content.

Problems Caused By Cold Feet

When you keep your feet warm and dry you also can help to avoid some problematic health conditions which are caused by the cold and dampness.

A basic problem that many people may suffer from is chilblains which are caused by damp or cold air which causes an inflammation of the blood vessels in the feet. If you experience chilblains on a foot you might see redness on the skin and feel intense itching in your toes.

In most cases, chilblains are just temporary and cause discomfort in the short term however if you keep on exposing yourself to the cold temperatures you could cause more major problems such as ulcers.

Trench foot is another condition that can be caused by not keeping your feet warm and dry. Walking or working in wet conditions for long periods where your feet never get a chance to stay dry causes the problem which can have serious consequences if not treated.

Frostbite which we have already mentioned earlier can also cause significant problems and lead to amputation of the affected areas. Whilst these may seem extreme they illustrate why warm feet can prevent more serious health conditions.

How to Warm Cold Feet

So now you know the importance of keeping your feet warm here are some suggestions to help you do exactly that.

Firstly make sure that your feet are well covered. We have already mentioned thick socks and if you are in the house wearing a pair of warm slippers can also help as you walk around the house. Baffin insulated slippers are a great example of footwear you can wear when it is cold to keep your feet feeling toasty.

If you want a heated product to help keep your feet warm then these heated boot slippers can help you to warm your feet when you are sitting down. Whilst they are not made for walking around in they are a great solution if you want to keep your feet at a constant temperature.

Remember that sitting still is not going to help make your feet warmer so it makes sense to do some physical activity and keep moving around to help you improve your blood flow and circulation to your feet.

If you are outside in colder weather make sure that you wear well-insulated boots or shoes especially if you are going to be standing around on the cold ground. If you want something fashionable Dr. Martens Leonore Chelsea Boots not only look great but have a faux fur lining inside to keep you warm and they are waterproof as well.