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.