Doctor shares simple way to fall asleep faster without medication or supplements

There's nothing worse than lying awake in bed, staring at the ceiling knowing full well you need to be awake to face the day in a matter of hours, but you cannot get to sleep. There are a number of things that can interrupt our sleep pattern from poor diet, stress and underlying health issues. If you're stuck in a cycle of poor sleep, this expert advice might provide you a much-needed solution.

Wearing socks to bed often divides opinion, but a doctor insists it could help you sleep if you put a pair on. In a post shared on Instagram by the Washington Post, Dr Trisha Pasricha shared her advice.

She said: "Wearing socks to bed is an easy, natural way to fall asleep faster. Warming up your feet is scientifically shown to induce drowsiness and it is just as effective as many over-the-counter sleep medications."

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Elaborating, the internal medicine physician and Harvard Medical School instructor said: "Decades of studies have investigated this phenomenon. The idea is that warmth dilates the blood vessels in your skin and actually helps cool your core."

She also suggested that soaking your feet in warm water for 10 minutes, or taking a shower around an hour or two before bed can also aid drowsiness. "These tricks can help you fall asleep 7 to 10 minutes faster," she added.

Commenting on the post, one said: "Omg... I knew there was I reason I liked to wear socks to bed."

Another who swears by socks in bed, said: "It works - I put bed socks on for about 15 mins when I first get into bed - then take them off when I finish reading and lights out."

Another added: "I feel validated! I just started wearing fuzzy socks and it works for me. Love your posts."

"It is good for my body, sometimes I do it," one other wrote. "Socks always help me sleep," added one other.

One other shared: "I wear socks every night, even though I live in a hot climate."

But others said it is not for them. "When I put on socks while sleeping I feel like I can't breathe," said one. Another wrote: "I'll never wear socks to bed. Feels like I'm wearing shackles."

"That's just horrible," added one other. One other said: "No way. I can never fall asleep wearing socks. I don’t even like blanket on my feet."