At the end of an exhausting day, do you simply kick off your shoes and hop into bed to get some much-needed Z’s?
If it seems like you are not getting to dreamland right away or you wake up the following day feeling tired still, then it’s a good idea to first wash your feet before hitting the hay.
Experts in the world of Ayurveda (an ancient form of healing that came into being in India at least 5,000 years ago and is still being practiced very much these days) say that your feet are actually associated with fire elements, and it can in fact amass lots and lots of heat most especially if your everyday lifestyle is stressful.
We all know that too much stress is something that can keep you from having a good night’s sleep — it’s for this reason exactly why engaging in all sorts of stress-relieving activities is highly recommended in order for you to be able to fend off insomnia, which is something that can:
- Keep you from getting to sleep without delay
- Cause you to wake up many times throughout the night
- Or leave you awake earlier than necessary
So basically, insomnia can prevent you from feeling rested and reenergized the following day.
It’s no secret that taking off your shoes once the busy day is through feels downright fantastic. Well, it feels that way because you are actually releasing some of the fire elements — stress can considerably increase your core body temperature, and lowering it can help in dealing with high levels of stress.
This is the reason why washing your feet before going to be is a wonderful idea especially if you have no time and energy to read a book, listen to soothing tunes, get a professional massage, meditate or do all kinds of yoga poses just to have your stress lowered considerably and make it easier for you to enjoy some shut-eye.
Sleep experts say that having your core body temperature lowered is vital for a good night’s sleep — this is the reason why it is recommended for you to keep your bedroom’s temperature between 60°F and 67°F (16°C and 19°C) if you want nothing but the most restorative uninterrupted sleep ever. Needless to say, having a core body temperature (or sleep environment) that’s scorching hot is a major deterrent to sleep.
In order to maximize the stress-reducing and sleep-inducing perks of washing your feet before jumping into bed, first consider soaking your feet for several minutes in a basin of water with a few drops of essential oil with cooling properties added to it. This way, you are able to lower your core body temperature more effectively.
Some very good examples of cooling essential oils are:
- Eucalyptus
- Peppermint
- Spearmint
- Vetiver
- Sandalwood
- Lavender
The aroma of these essential oils has stress-lowering properties, too, and that’s why you can kick insomnia away with the help of any of these aromatic oils!
It’s not just when you are stressed that you should wash your feet before going to bed. Do you have a lot of anxious thoughts that are keeping you from falling asleep at night? Washing your feet can help you relax and fall asleep without much trouble — failure to get 7 to 9 hours of relaxing sleep, according to mental health experts, is not good for your mood.
Other than facilitating a good night’s sleep, washing your feet before getting some Z’s also helps ensure that you go to bed with your feet clean — your feet are prone to being smelly and having a fungal infection such as athlete’s foot and ringworm as they are the perfect environment for fungal growth: dark, warm and moist.
