The best socks for sleeping are loose, soft and breathable, with a band that leaves no groove and a thickness matched to your bedroom. Merino wool suits cold rooms, thin cotton, bamboo viscose or lyocell suits mild ones, and fit matters at least as much as fiber. Leave compression socks off in bed unless a doctor has prescribed them for night use.
"Sleep socks" and "bed socks" mean the same thing: a pair you put on at bedtime and wear only in bed.
This guide does not rank products. It explains what to look for, so you can judge any pair yourself, including the ones already in your drawer. It sits with the other bedtime guides in our sleep hub.
Do sleep socks really work?
As a way to keep your feet warm and comfortable, yes. As a way to fall asleep faster, possibly, if cold feet are what keeps you awake.
The reasoning comes from how the body cools down for sleep. Core temperature starts to fall about two hours before sleep begins, and sleep researchers describe the widening of blood vessels in the hands and feet as a good predictor of how readily sleep starts. [2] Warm feet are part of that heat-shedding process, which is the idea behind bed socks. [3]
The study cited most often is small. In 2018, six young men slept in a 23°C (73°F) room with and without bed socks. With socks they fell asleep about 7.5 minutes sooner and slept about 32 minutes longer, but they did not rate their sleep any differently, and the authors called for larger studies that include women and older adults. [1]
The socks in that study were thick, soft, loose polyester pairs, put on about an hour before bed. [1] So the study says something about warm, loose socks. It says nothing about which fiber is best.
Socks are not a treatment for insomnia or any other sleep disorder. For the longer discussion, see should you sleep with socks on.
What to look for in socks for sleeping
Seven things decide whether a sock is good to sleep in. Fiber gets the most attention, but fit and cuff matter at least as much.
Fiber
Cleveland Clinic's advice is that bedtime socks made of natural fibers are best for warmth and breathability. It lists cotton, merino wool, bamboo and viscose, and calls synthetics such as polyester less ideal. [3]
Merino wool. Warm for its thickness and the usual choice for cold rooms. In one small trial of 17 young adults, people in merino wool sleepwear fell asleep about four minutes sooner on average than in cotton, a gap that appeared at 17°C (63°F) and not at 22°C (72°F). [6] Read that with two cautions: it tested pajamas, not socks, and it was funded by the wool industry.
Cotton. Soft, inexpensive and easy to wash. The NHS calls cotton socks best in its advice on athlete's foot. [9] Cotton insulates less than wool, which suits mild rooms, and it can feel damp by morning if your feet sweat.
Bamboo and lyocell. These tend to feel smooth and cool. Know what the label means: the US Federal Trade Commission says soft fabric sold as bamboo has most likely been processed into rayon, also called viscose. [7] Lyocell, sold under names such as Tencel, is a close relative. US fiber-labeling rules treat it as a form of rayon made from cellulose dissolved in an organic solvent. [8]
Cashmere. Very soft and very warm, and often blended with other fibers so it lasts longer. It is the indulgent pick for cold feet and the fussiest to wash.
Polyester and fleece. Plush synthetic bed socks are warm and inexpensive, and they are what the 2018 study used. [1] If you wake with hot or clammy feet in them, switch to a thinner natural fiber.
Thickness and warmth
Match the sock to the room, not to the season printed on the packaging. The CDC lists a cool bedroom among the habits that support good sleep, and Cleveland Clinic suggests about 60 to 67°F for adults. [4][5] Sleep researchers add that under the covers people try to keep the air next to their skin at roughly 31 to 35°C, and that drifting away from that range has a negative effect on sleep. [2]
In practice, choose the thinnest sock that stops your feet feeling cold. A thick sock under a heavy comforter in a warm room works against you. If you keep waking up to kick your socks off, they are too warm.
Cuff tension
The band should hold the sock up without squeezing. NHS self-care advice for swollen ankles and feet includes not wearing socks that are too tight. [10]
A simple test: wear the pair for an hour in the evening, then look above your ankle. If the cuff has left a groove you can feel with a fingertip, it is too tight for a night in bed. Loose-top, wide-ribbed and roll-top cuffs are the ones to look for.
Seams
A ridge across the toes is easy to ignore in shoes and hard to ignore in bed. Look for flat or hand-linked toe seams, or a toe with no seam at all. For people with diabetes, US government guidance goes further and says socks with no seams are best. [11]
Breathability
A sock that traps sweat gets uncomfortable fast. Open or mesh-knit panels on top of the foot let heat out, and plush linings hold it in. If your feet run warm, try a thinner knit before you give up on socks altogether.
Fit
A sleep sock should be looser than a daytime sock, but not baggy. Extra fabric bunches under the sole and twists around in the night. The heel pocket should sit on your heel, your toes should have room to wiggle, and you should be able to push the sock off with your other foot while half asleep.
Washing
Wear a fresh pair every night. Cleveland Clinic recommends it to avoid bacterial growth, and the NHS advises clean socks every day. [3][9] So buy enough pairs to rotate, and keep them for bed only.
Check the care label before you buy. Cotton and viscose pairs usually go in a normal wash, while wool and cashmere often need a cool, gentle cycle and air drying.
Sleep sock types compared
Type
Warmth
Suits
Watch for
Thin cotton
Low
Mild rooms, easy care
Can feel damp if your feet sweat
Bamboo viscose or lyocell
Low to medium
Warm sleepers who like a smooth feel
"Bamboo" usually means viscose
Merino wool
Medium to high
Cool rooms, cold feet
Gentler washing
Cashmere blend
High
Very cold feet, gifts
Delicate, costs more
Plush polyester or fleece
High
Very cold rooms
Overheating, clammy feet
Thin sock with pressure nubs
Low
People who also want foot pressure
Not for numb or injured feet without a doctor's OK
Compression socks
Not the point
Night use only if prescribed
Not meant for lying down
If you like each toe in its own sleeve, our guide to toe socks covers that style.
Skip compression socks in bed unless they were prescribed
Compression socks are often sold next to sleep socks. They are a different product for a different job.
A Cleveland Clinic cardiovascular specialist puts it plainly: there is no reason to wear compression socks when lying down or sleeping, because lying down takes away the effect of gravity that the socks are designed to work against. [12] The clinic's general guidance is to put them on in the morning and take them off before bed. [13]
The exception is a doctor's instruction. Some people with vein disease and open sores on their legs are told to wear compression at night, for example. [12] If that is you, follow your care team, not a sock guide.
Some people should not use compression at all without medical advice. Cleveland Clinic says to check with a provider first if you have peripheral artery disease, severe swelling or much-reduced feeling in your legs from neuropathy, and to avoid compression over open wounds, skin infections or very fragile skin. [13]
Who should take extra care
Diabetes or reduced feeling in your feet. The US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases advises wearing socks in bed if your feet get cold, choosing clean, lightly padded socks that fit well and are not tight, and not putting a hot water bottle or heating pad on your feet. [11]
Swollen feet or ankles. The NHS advises seeing a doctor if swelling has not improved after a few days of home care, and getting urgent help if one foot, ankle or leg swells with no clear cause, or if swelling is severe, painful or sudden. [10]
Feet that are always cold, numb, burning or changing color. A warmer sock may make you more comfortable, but a pattern like that is worth describing to a doctor.
Where a sock like Somnisole fits
We make a bedtime sock, so weigh this section with that in mind.
If all you want is warm feet, a plain, loose sock from the table above does the job. Somnisole is one option for people who want foot pressure as well. It is an ultra-thin, breathable sock knitted from Tencel lyocell, nylon and spandex, with an open-mesh top, a toe with no seam and a soft band in place of a tight cuff. It is not a compression sock, and because it is ultra-thin, do not expect the warmth of a wool bed sock.
Bonded inside the sole are 45 firm silicone nubs. You use them for a 5-minute wind-down ritual: press your soles into a wall or footboard, press sole to sole, or glide one sole over the other foot's instep. Our how it works page shows each one. The nubs at the heel are softer, low domes, so back sleepers can rest on them.
The heel, where Somnisole uses softer, lower domes so that back sleepers can rest on them.
The nubs are mapped to every reflexology zone, and each zone on a reflexology chart is traditionally associated with another part of the body. The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says the claim that pressing these points brings relaxation and healing to those body parts has not been proven. [14] What people reliably report is simpler: firm pressure on the feet feels good.
Two honest limits. Somnisole is a pre-order and has not shipped yet, so there are no customer reviews or test results to point to. And we do not claim that it helps you sleep.
Not for feet with numbness, open wounds, diabetes-related foot problems or poor circulation without a doctor's OK.
Answer three questions and the choice mostly makes itself.
How cool is your bedroom? Cool room and cold feet: merino wool or a cashmere blend. Mild room: thin cotton, viscose or lyocell.
Do your feet sweat at night? If they do, go thinner and more open-knit, and change pairs nightly.
Does anything around your ankle bother you? If it does, look for a loose top first and decide on fiber second.
Then give the pair a week. If the socks are still on in the morning, you have found your pair. If you keep kicking them off, bare feet are a perfectly good answer.
Common questions
What kind of socks are best for sleeping?
Loose, soft, breathable socks with a band that does not dig in. Cleveland Clinic suggests natural fibers such as cotton, merino wool, bamboo or viscose, and a fresh pair every night. Match the thickness to your bedroom: thin for mild rooms, warmer for cold ones.
Do sleep socks really work?
They keep your feet warm, and that may help you drift off if cold feet keep you awake. In one small 2018 study of six young men, wearing bed socks in a cool room was linked with falling asleep about 7.5 minutes sooner. The study was too small to settle the question, and socks are not a treatment for insomnia.
Is wool or cotton better for sleep socks?
It depends on your room and your feet. Merino wool is warmer and suits cold bedrooms or feet that feel cold, while thin cotton suits mild rooms and is easier to wash. If you wake up hot or kick your socks off, go thinner.
Are bed socks and sleep socks the same thing?
Yes. Both names describe socks worn only in bed, usually looser and softer than daytime socks. Compression socks are a different product and are not meant for sleep unless a doctor has prescribed them for night use.
Should you wear compression socks to bed?
Not unless a doctor has told you to. A Cleveland Clinic specialist says there is no reason to wear compression socks when lying down or sleeping, because lying down removes the effect of gravity they are designed to counter. Anyone with artery disease, neuropathy or skin problems on their legs should not use compression at all without medical advice.
Should you let your feet breathe at night?
There is no rule that feet must be bare in bed. What matters is that the skin stays clean and dry, so wear a fresh, breathable pair each night and dry between your toes after washing. If your feet sweat in socks, choose a thinner pair or go without.
Somnisole puts firm silicone nubs over every zone of the sole, inside a sock thin and breathable enough to sleep in. Made for achy, tired, restless-feeling feet at bedtime.
Somnisole is a wellness product, not a medical device. Not for feet with numbness, open wounds, diabetes-related foot problems or poor circulation without a doctor's OK.
