If your feet are cold from October to April, you are not imagining it and you are not alone. Most of the time, the fix is simpler than you would think, and it starts with what is on your feet.
Why feet get cold first
Your feet are a long way from your heart. When you get cold, your body narrows the blood vessels in your fingers and toes to protect your core temperature, which means less warm blood reaches them.1 Add damp, a tight boot or a cold floor, and feet chill fast.
The most common causes (that you can fix)
- Damp socks. Sweat is the most common reason feet go cold. A sock that holds moisture, especially cotton, leaves feet damp, and damp feet lose heat quickly.
- Tight footwear. A boot laced too tight, or a sock that is too thick for the shoe, restricts blood flow. The BHF notes that tight shoes and clothing that puts pressure on the body can restrict blood flow.2
- Standing still. Movement pumps blood to the feet. Long periods standing or sitting still, on a cold floor, drain warmth.
- Thin or synthetic socks. Fine for a warm day, not for a cold one.
What to wear for cold feet
Look for a sock that stays warm when your feet sweat. Wool keeps a drier microclimate next to the skin, and releases a little heat as it absorbs moisture vapour.3 Alpaca has hollow-cored fibres that trap air and wicks moisture out to evaporate, so it is warm for its weight.
| When your feet are cold… | Try |
|---|---|
| Outdoors, standing still, or at work in boots | Alpaca Boot Socks |
| Out walking in winter | Merino Boot Sock |
| At your desk, on the commute, or at home | Alpaca Crew Socks |
| In bed | Our guide to bed socks and sleep |
See the full boot socks collection, or read our guide to thermal socks for more on what makes a sock warm.
Everyday habits that help
- Keep your whole body warm. If your core is cold, your body will keep diverting blood from your feet.
- Move regularly. Even a short walk or flexing your toes helps.
- Change into dry socks as soon as your feet feel damp.
- Loosen laces a little and make sure boots have room for the socks you wear.
- Do not warm cold feet directly on a radiator or under hot water. The NHS advises drying and warming skin slowly after being in the cold.4
When cold feet need a GP
Sometimes cold feet are a sign of something else. The NHS advises seeing a GP if your toes change colour in the cold (white, then blue, then red), if symptoms are bad or getting worse, or if they affect your daily life, as these can be signs of Raynaud's.1 Numbness, pain in the calves when walking, or sores that are slow to heal can be signs of poor circulation and should also be checked. Our guide to socks for poor circulation has more.
The short version
- Cold feet usually come down to damp, tight footwear or standing still.
- Swap cotton for alpaca or merino, which stay warm when feet sweat.
- Leave room in your shoes and keep moving.
- Colour changes, numbness or pain are worth a GP visit.
Shop Alpaca Boot Socks · Shop alpaca socks
SOURCES
- Raynaud's, NHS — nhs.uk/conditions/raynauds/
- Cold hands and feet? 5 tips to improve circulation, British Heart Foundation — bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/medical/improve-circulation
- Wool Is Naturally Breathable, The Woolmark Company — woolmark.com/industry/research/factsheets/wool-is-naturally-breathable/
- Chilblains, NHS — nhs.uk/conditions/chilblains/
