Last Updated on October 9, 2022 by theworldofsleepstaff
You’re done with all your chores for the night, the dinner plates have been washed and stacked, your room is bathed in a soft, warm glow – perfect for sleeping – and you can feel yourself falling into what promises to be a rejuvenating sleep.
But suddenly you’re jolted awake by an all too familiar warm feeling in the lower half of your body, the culprit? Hot feet.
Hot feet is a fairly common experience, affecting about 1 in every 2,500 Americans. It mostly occurs at night and can cause mild discomfort; however, in some rare cases, it can be severe.
Having your feet suddenly develop heatblast power (Sorry, Ben 10!) just when you’re about to hit the sack can be a very uncomfortable experience and even occasionally rob you of a good night’s sleep.
Fortunately, you can use various options, home remedies, and medication to cool down hot feet at night and make it a thing of the past. We’ll explore such remedies in this article and everything you need to know about how to cool down hot feet at night.
But First: Why Hot Feet?
Just as the name implies, hot feet is a general name for experiencing a hot or burning sensation in the feet.
The condition is medically called Grierson-Gopalan syndrome.
Hot feet is more prevalent in women who are in their 20s to 40s. The burning sensation is almost usually confined to just the soles of the feet. However, the sensation may extend to the ankles or lower legs in severe or rare cases.
Though sometimes hot feet at night is caused simply be the environmental conditions around you, rather than a medical condition.
Symptoms of Hot Feet:
The symptoms of hot feet are fairly obvious.
- Burning sensation in the soles of the feet.
- Feeling of tingling in the area.
- Sometimes, there is also tenderness and redness of the skin; however, this is very rare.
- The burning sensation worsens at night and may extend to your calf and ankle.
So, what exactly can you do to cool down hot feet at night.
We’ve compiled a list of helpful tips below.
20 Helpful Tips to Cool Down A Hot Feet at Night
1. Identify the Cause
The first thing you’ll want to do is observe yourself and see if you can identify the cause of the hot feet. Different factors can cause hot feet; we’ll explore them in detail later in the article.
Identifying the cause of the hot feet will leave you in a better condition to manage it, treat it and maybe even stop it from happening.
2. Use Frozen Socks
You’re probably thinking, “What? Frozen socks are a thing?” Sorry to surprise you, but yes, frozen socks are a thing!
And the best part? You can make them from the comfort of your house.
To make a frozen pair of socks, leave your socks in the freezer for them to get frozen – it’s that simple.
Frozen socks are the perfect way to reduce the burning sensation from hot feet and keep them at a temperature that won’t affect your sleep.
The only downside is that they tend to become heavy and soggy from all the condensed water after the ice melts.
There are, however, also commercial frozen socks you can buy. We advise doing a bit of research about them to see if they might work for you.
3. Use a Water Bottle
Applying a flask filled with cold water to your feet may be a better alternative to frozen socks – that is, if you don’t mind the fact that kicking off the flask during your sleep may wake you up!
4. Sleep With Your Feet Outside the Cover
The source of your burning feet might be that thick blanket you drape over your whole body every night. Keeping your feet outside your blanket will expose them to the cool air, which might help reduce the burning sensation.
5. Keep a Fan Pointed Towards Your Feet
If the air conditioning isn’t giving you as much relief as you want, keeping a standby fan pointed towards your feet can help relieve the pain and provide a cooling sensation.
6. Pay Attention to Your Feet
Although there are medically accepted causes for burning feet, some causes of burning feet are due to some things we expose ourselves to during the day.
Your choice of footwear, the type of socks you wear, or your occupation can also cause you to develop hot feet at night.
For example, frequently wearing shoes or socks made from synthetic materials may cause hot feet.
Paying more attention to your feet as you go about your day can help you pinpoint the cause of the burning feet and help you prevent or manage it.
7. Use Creams and Ointments
Depending on the cause of your hot feet, creams and ointments may help mitigate some of the symptoms.
Antifungal creams and ointments can help with the symptoms of the underlying cause if it’s a fungal infection like athlete’s foot.
Other creams can help to treat symptoms from other underlying causes.
Applying these topical forms of treatments before going to bed can reduce the symptoms.
8. Take Adequate Vitamins and Supplements
One of the most common causes of hot feet at night is nerve damage and nutritional deficiency.
Taking adequate supplements that contain compounds that can help with nerve damage may help reduce the burning sensation and can cool down hot feet at night.
9. Wash Your Feet with Cold Water
Sure, it’s customary to shower before bed. But you most likely used warm water during your shower.
Specifically treating your feet with some bowls of cold water can help keep your feet cold for longer.
10. Use a Mattress Cooling Pad
Mattress cooling pads are now becoming increasingly popular, especially as during in the hotter seasons. These cooling pads provide an extra layer of coolness and comfort for the whole body in hot weather.
Your feet will definitely thank you for investing in them, and by the time you start enjoying a more rejuvenating and cool sleeping experience, you’ll thank yourself, too.
11. Acupuncture and Massage May Work
Massage and acupuncture help to promote and increase blood flow and circulation.
Increasing blood supply to the affected area will provide more oxygen and subsequently more relief to the affected or burning area.
12. Try Stimulation Therapy
Stimulation therapies are a great way to reduce the tingling and burning that comes with hot feet.
It involves using the electric current from electrodes to stimulate the burning area.
There are different stimulation therapies. They are but are not limited to :
- Laser therapy
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
- Light therapy
- Magnetic field therapy
13. Avoid Heavy Meals at Dinner
Eating heavy meals as dinner means your body will need a longer time to digest the meal.
But digestion is a complex process involving different organs in the body, and it generates sweat and heat in the body, which won’t work in your favor.
14. Make Some Lifestyle Changes
Some lifestyle habits like heavy alcohol use can lead to muscle weakness, burning feet, and dizziness, amongst other symptoms.
Reducing your alcohol intake and starting other healthy lifestyle habits can help reduce the symptoms.
Taking walks regularly will also prove helpful as it will help improve circulation.
15. Place Ice Packs on Your Pulse Points
Pulse points like the ankle, wrists, and back of the knees can help to quickly distribute heat or cold to other parts of your body.
Placing an ice pack on your ankle can help your feet stay colder for longer.
16. Use Medications
Pain relievers such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or aspirin can help relieve the pain that comes with burning feet. However ask your doctor for advice.
Taking paid medication before bed might very well be the difference between getting a restful night of sleep or very little sleep.
17. Fish Oil Might be Helpful
Fish oil has amazing anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties that can mitigate swelling or pains from a severe case of burning feet.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to necessarily fry fish to get fish oil. There are various over-the-counter medications for fish oil that you can buy and use.
18. Use RICE
No, we don’t mean rice, the staple grain, we mean RICE in medical terms!
RICE is the acronym for a series of medical procedures: Rest, ice, compression, and elevation.
The symptoms of some medical conditions that might be the underlying cause of the burning sensation can be treated with this method.
Just as the method spells, it involves raising your feet, applying ice, using compression, and then keeping them in an elevated position.
19. Take Baths with Epsom Salt
Epsom salt is used widely in the treatment of pains and swellings on different parts of the body.
Taking a bath with Epsom salt before you sleep may help reduce the symptoms of burning feet.
To use; place the Epsom salt into warm or tepid water, then soak your legs in the water for about 20 to 30 minutes.
20. Use Turmeric Supplements
Tumeric is a natural antioxidant and antimicrobial supplement. It contains curcumin which has been proven to be an effective treatment for various neurological disorders.
You can take turmeric in any form you’re comfortable with. You can take it in powder or supplement form.
Tumeric can help treat many symptoms of neuropathy, amongst which is burning feet.
So there you have it, 20 detailed and proven tips that show you how to cool down hot feet at night. However, it’s not enough to know just the cure to this experience. It is also important to know the likely causes so that you will be in a better position to make informed decisions about the treatment and medications to use to stop hot feet at night completely.
Eight Causes of Hot Feet At Night
Various factors can cause your feet to develop a burning sensation. While most are linked to critical health conditions, some are just a result of lifestyle habits. In some rare cases, the cause may never be discovered.
1. Neuropathy
Neuropathy is a disease or dysfunction causing numbness or weakness in the nerves.
There are different types of neuropathy, and a symptom common to most of them is burning feet.
Types of neuropathy that can cause burning feet.
- Diabetic neuropathy
This is when uncontrolled diabetes weakens the nerves in the body. A common symptom of neuropathy or nerve damage in the legs is a burning sensation.
- Small fiber sensory neuropathy (SFSN)
- Alcoholic neuropathy is caused by heavy alcohol use.
2. Hypothyroidism
This is a condition where a lesser than required amount of hormones is produced by the body. This can pressure your nerves and cause hot feet, among other symptoms.
3. Erythromelalgia
This is a medical and rare condition where the feet become hot and red, especially after getting involved in exercise or activities that may promote sweat and heat. The cause is unknown.
4. Nutritional Deficiencies
Nutritional deficiencies, especially in regards to vitamin B, can cause burning feet.
5. Prolonged Exposure to Toxins
Prolonged exposure to sources of toxins can affect the nerves and lead to burning feet.
6. Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
This is nerve damage usually experienced after surgery in the limbs. Hot feet is one of its symptoms.
7. Athletes Foot
This is a fungal infection that affects the feet and hands.
Burning feet is a prevalent and obvious symptom of this infection.
8. Unhealthy Lifestyle Habits
Wearing damp socks or tight shoes can lead to athlete’s foot and other conditions that can cause burning feet.
Conclusion: How To Cool Down Hot Feet At Night
Burning feet is not an experience anyone would wish to have. Apart from the fact that they are an inconvenience, they can keep you from getting much-needed sleep that your body needs to function optimally, therefore, affecting your performance in other areas of your life.
Fortunately, there are different remedies and treatments that can help you cool down hot feet at night – we’ve explored many of them in detail in this article.
However, it is important that before you start any treatment or medication use for this condition – or any other health condition for that matter – you should inform your medical advisor. This is very important and should not be ignored, especially if you have other medical conditions for which you are undergoing treatment.