Have you ever wondered if wearing socks is even healthy? There is a belief that wearing socks for a long periods of time is unhealthy because our feet are covered and therefore do not get air. But is that really true? Let’s see if it is healthy to wear socks 24 hours a day.
Wearing socks all day and night is not harmful to your health as long as you wear socks made of natural materials that breathe and wick away sweat. It is a good idea to wash the socks after a day’s wear and put on a new pair of socks.
In the rest of this article, I’ll explain why it’s totally fine to wear socks for up to 24 hours. I’ll tell you when to replace your socks with a fresh pair and how wearing socks at night has a positive effect on your sleep. You will also learn how to prevent fungal infections on your feet.
Is it healthy to wear socks 24 hours a day?
Wearing socks 24 hours a day is healthy if you wear the right socks. Socks must be breathable, absorbent, and sweat-wicking. This keeps our feet dry for longer and therefore prevents fungal infections and blisters.
There is a fear that wearing socks for too long will lead to fungal infections. But do we even know how fungal infections on the feet are caused? Various foot infections are contracted in public areas where water and hot air are present: swimming pools, saunas, group showers, and gym locker rooms.
These environments are ideal for getting a foot infection from someone else. When you put on socks and step into shoes, you create a warm and, due to perspiration, humid environment that is ideal for fungal infections to develop.
In public places, it is easiest to get infected if you walk barefoot. It is advisable to have clean slippers to walk around in and to shower in for such places. To prevent fungal infections from spreading to your feet as effectively as possible, disinfect your feet before putting on your socks. Spray the disinfectant on your feet.
Buy one of these and keep it in your bag at all times.
When do I need to change my socks?
There is nothing wrong with wearing socks for 24 hours. But the socks must be clean and dry. When your socks are dirty, smelly, or wet, they need to be changed. Replace such socks and put them in the wash. It is a good idea to wash your feet before putting on new socks. Otherwise, even new socks will get dirty quickly.
If you take good care of your socks, they will last longer. Here you can read 9 ways why socks get holes fast and how you can change it.
These are materials that can be worn 24 hours a day:
- Cotton,
- Bamboo and
- Merino wool.
You will rarely find socks on the market that are 100% made of any of these materials. For everyday wear, choose socks that have at least 70% natural material, the rest can be synthetic materials. The synthetic materials that are most commonly added are nylon, polyester, and elastane.
If possible, choose socks that have more nylon than polyester, as nylon absorbs moisture and polyester does not. Synthetic materials are usually added because they contribute to elasticity (because they are more elastic than natural materials) and because they are cheaper to make than natural materials.
You can read the full comparison between cotton and polyester socks here.
Is it healthy to wear socks at night?
Wearing socks at night is healthy and even helps you sleep better. Socks increase blood circulation to the feet and keep our body temperature from dropping at night. This leads to longer sleep and less waking during the night.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, our body temperature drops at night because our body helps us fall asleep (which is why it’s better to have a slightly lower temperature at night to sleep).
How do socks help us lower our body temperature?
If we don’t wear socks, our feet get cold. Our body reacts by sending blood to the feet to warm them up, increasing body temperature. Wearing socks at night warms the feet and widens the blood vessels, which helps to cool the body temperature.
What else can you do for foot health before bed?
Wearing cotton socks can improve the health of your skin by applying body lotion to your feet and putting on cotton socks before going to bed. This will help to keep your feet and heels from getting too dry.
For sleeping, it’s best to wear socks made of natural materials – cotton, bamboo, or merino wool. These socks are comfortable and breathe well at night. Synthetic materials do not work so well. It is also important not to wear socks that are too tight.