Cold feet in bed. They cause a third of the women sleep problems, and that while men hardly suffer from it. Luck bags. But let it be a lean . . comfort: cold feet in the bed are actually quite normal. When it gets colder, your body pushes heat to the vital organs. To provide enough heat, it has to close small blood vessels like the capillaries. Mainly the hands and feet are the victims.
But why do women suffer more from cold feet than men? And what solutions are there? Your ice clogs against your husband's warm feet? Or put on warm socks for cold feet?
Women have cold feet faster than men: Causes
Men don't understand why women complain about these cold toes and fingers. Understandable, because you knew that the body temperature of a woman is on average 0.22 degrees higher than men. Yet you hear women often say they are cold. Research proves that it is not a poseritis. The temperature of their hands and feet is on an average 1.55 degrees colder than men's.
The Guilt of the Hormones
The body temperature of women is precisely controlled by the female hormone oestrogen. When the amount of oestrogen in your blood rises, your body is more sensitive to temperature differences. It explains why women are colder than usual during their menstruation.
Bacon layer versus sixpack
Women have 10% more body fat than men. Hot, so much so that bacon layer? True, even if the kite only partially goes on. The more fat on your body, the more you get inside, vital organs are protected from cold. But that also means less blood goes to your hands and feet. And the heat from outside can also be less good in your body. Adds to that women have fewer muscles than men, muscle mass produces heat, which makes men less cold.
Iron or ice-cream tablets
Men have more iron in their blood than women, and the latter suffer from iron deficiency, whereas iron is necessary for good blood flow. If they lack blood supply, the best way to get them is by recommending that your doctor keep iron pills from feeling like ice cubes.
What can you do against cold feet in bed?
Fortunately, there are many solutions to warm your cold feet. With these tips you have warm feet in no time.
- Move: To get your blood circulation going, exercise is a good remedy. Do you prefer to stay inside in winter? Then you can limit yourself to some simple exercises. For example, stand on your toes and slowly lean on the ground with your entire foot and then lean on your heel. Repeat that exercise for five minutes. Your feet are guaranteed to feel warm. Lie in bed or sit at your desk? Then turn your ankles around. Do 40 times per foot and you will not suffer from cold feet in beed anymore.
- Wear woolen socks: Put on woollen socks, even before your feet are cold. Wool holds the heat and regulates the temperature. Therefore, your feet never have too hot or too cold. Wear them in bed for an unbroken night's sleep.
- Sleep under a warm duvet: Choose one warm duvet from natural materials like down. Did you know that there are even down blankets, specially designed for people with cold feet and lower legs? Those down duvets have an extra warm foot zone, so you can leave out that extra blanket.
- Do not drink caffeine and stop smoking: Caffeine narrows the blood vessels in your feet, which means that your feet become cold (or stay) and the same applies to cigarettes. Alcohol increases the heat loss of your body.
- Don't sit with crossed legs: Crossed legs hinder good blood flow, cut off the blood supply, so that the blood doesn't hit your feet. In the long run, it can even lead to painful legs, tingling feet and varicose veins.
- Watch what you eat: Eat hot dishes and foods that stimulate blood circulation, such as hot peppers, ginger, fish, parsley, onions, apricots, pumpkin seeds, nuts, watermelon and celery.
- Drink enough water: When your body gets too little moisture, your temperature drops faster.
- Spas and foot massages: Give your feet an alternate bath before you go to sleep. Change hot with cold. Start with warm, finite with cold water. Also foot massages stimulate the circulation.
- Put your feet in bed higher than your heart: It can help you raise your legs a little bit, so blood flows more easily to the heart, which stimulates blood flow.