Cold Wet Sock Treatment for Congestion

If you or a family member is stuffy and congested you know how hard it to get a good nights sleep - cold wet socks to the rescue!!

This is something my family and I all do for a few nights in a row if the sniffles are here. Even our 2 year old asks for wet socks! 

The whole idea is based on the science of traditional hydrotherapy. When you are lying horizontal your lymphatic system (waste removal system) isn't moving; it's stagnant. Picture a highway travelling from your head to your toes that has lots of traffic. It only makes sense that you would get more stuffy as soon as you lie down for a sleep. 

We want to get things moving.   

What you'll need:

• A pair of cotton socks (not moisture wicking or anything fancy)
• A pair of wool or thick socks
• A dry towel
• Bowl of ice water (or water with ice)
• Warm bath of warm foot bath

Directions:

• Right after a warm bath (or at least a 2 minute warm foot bath), soak the socks with the ice water and then wring them out.
• Immediately put them on feet (while the blood vessels are still dilated from the warm bath)
• This will cause vasocontriction (blood vessels closing up) in the feet and start to move blood and lymph.
• Place the dry wool socks on top off the wet socks and then wrap up the feet in a towel so they are nice and warm. Get tucked in for the night with some tissues nearby.
• This process allows for more vasodilation which creates a nice pumping effect to get things moving. 

I wouldn't do this when there is chest congestion and/or coughing, but this is wonderful to help ease the symptoms of nasal congestion and stuffiness. 

Your nose may start to run a little in the first 5 minutes before you drift off to sleep!  By the morning the wet cotton socks will be dry!

Watch our video here to get a good visual on how to do cold wet socks.

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