I always have hot feet at night. Some people’s feet are little ice balls but mine are smoking. It’s not athletes’ foot or from wearing python boots in July. They’re just hot. The tops of my feet seem fine to the touch, but the sole is several degrees warmer. I have to sleep with my feet out from under the covers. If I don’t, my feet bother me so much I can’t get to sleep.
I need a name for my affliction and maybe a foundation dedicated to its resolve. Well, “hot feet” in stupid Latin would be Hotus Feetus. And for stupid and lazy people, we’ll call it HF. There. I now have HF syndrome and The Institute for the Cure of HF.
So give generously to find a cure. All donations are completely tax deductible, like my bar tabs as a medical expense and my cat as my infirm dependent grandmother.
All my cures are self prescribed. I start with my feet out from under the covers. If that doesn’t’t work, I’ll lie on my stomach and bend my knees to a 90 degree angle. My theory being if I can get the blood to drain out my feet they may cool off. This only seems to work in the mildest of cases.
I’ve also stood in an empty porcelain bathtub. They’re cool and it sometimes helps. Or sit on the edge of the tub, put in the plug and stick my feet in a small pool of cold water. Sometimes holding them under a stream of cold water from the tap is the way to go.
I’ve also gone down to the basement to stand on the cold cement floor. This works well in the winter. In some extreme cases I’ve also gone outside in winter when its 20 below to stand on the ice covered cement walkway and a few times right out into the snow until my feet are so cold they hurt.
After alleviating my HF, I can almost always go back, get into bed, stick my feet out and go right to sleep.
So hot feet, although rare, may affect your sleep like it does mine.
Lately, I have been using a frozen pack. I got them in the bandage section of the drug store – they can be frozen or heated to treat sprains. I have a few that are about 11″ long by 5″ wide. I take one at a time out of the freezer, sit down, place it on the floor and gently rest my foot on it.
It hurts so good. Then I’ll switch to the other foot and keep rotating until it’s thawed out. If needed I’ll put it back in the freezer and get another one out.
Amazon Resources
The Body Shop Pepermint Cooling Foot Lotion: http://amzn.to/PLU2hY
Watkins Menthol Camphor Ointment: http://amzn.to/NUakXh
Aveeno Active Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion: http://amzn.to/OH6ygT
ChililPad cooling/heating matress pad keeps your bed just the way you like
it for a restful night’s sleep. http://amzn.to/PX1Pqz
Temperature regulating sheets: http://amzn.to/PXdtla
Wow! This hit the spot. I thought I was the only with this condition.
for anybody reading this i got real bad hf been looking on this page for answers but just figured one out ccidently lay on ur stomach and get a friend to pior a small puddle in the bottom arch of ur back right above ur ass i did that it kinda helped but holding a water bottle between your legs. or try some vitamin b
Thanks for the suggestions!
I thought I was an oddball too – well, nevermind. The side of the bed I sleep on is up against a wall with two windows. I normally kick around in my sleep, putting my feet against the cool wall or the window glass itself. During the summer, I have taken socks, ran them under the sink and put them in the freezer. Now this gets too cold but it’s better than hot as far as I’m concerned.
I have never tried the frozen socks as yet but have ice packs in my bed and it just doesnt help as much.. when my room is so hot it seems nothing works and i have fans and all going.. its like all night putting covers on then off. The more i toss and turn the more my feet get hot.I know its poor circulation in my legs, and i have lost weight and still have the problem.. but in winter when my room is so cold i sleep much better! Exercise helps somewhat cause then i am more tired but not always.. i am soooooo frustrated. I need sleep so now trying Lemon balm drops to see if i can get to sleep better than pm pills..
I try to cool my feet down with ice packs before I go to bed. Or ry sitting on the edge of your bathtub and splash your feet in some cold water.
I’ve never tried lemon balm drops – let me know how it worked for you.
My feet also do the same thing… I’ve tried just about everything to get it to stop but, they burn up no matter what. It seems the only semi-cure is a small, powerful fan set on high pointed directly at my feet continuously through the night. I have a theory though. Your idea is too ice them but, maybe… If they are heated, their surroundings will seem that much cooler. ..And i don’t mean to lay in bed with a heater on your feet because this sounds suicidal for already burning feet! I mean, before you step into bed, run hot water over your feet. (as an example, considering my feet don’t get hot until i lay down) this way, they’ll already be hot and everything that surrounds them will just seem cold.
Just a theory though ^.^
So funny to read someone else flips around and puts their feet on the cool window, or gets a cold pack out of the freezer. For me, it is getting worse and worse. I used to only be afflicted once every couple/few months. Now, pretty much every night. I've even taken sleeping pills so I can get a good nights sleep. This may sound kinda funny, but really it's not…it's pretty miserable.
Hey, you do what you need to do to get some releif.
i have this too
I am so glad I vound you all…
My "Hot feet @ night wwhen I lay down Syndrome" is driving me crazy!
I need this support (not arch) just hot foot syndrome support right here!
I have tried so many different soluttions.
Nothing works! I am so tired from no sleep that I am thinking of "AMBIEN"
Just to pass out!
But if anyone has a better solution, please let me know.
I need to sleep!!!!!!!!!
I just read that it could be a Diabetes thing…. ugggggggggg!
I hope not, because my grandmother had diabetes and both her legs had to be amputated! ahhh I hate that would amputated!
Now I'm so afraid I might have Diabetes but I am fat, old, I hate to exercise and love all the wrong foods!
Maybe I'm doooooomed.
Is there anyone here to talk to about this?
Searching for answers but Please don't tell me I need to diet, exercise and eat right!!!!!!!!!
I have heard that 1000 times
I have found that any doctor I have asked has no clue about what causes hot feet. I have only found that icing them down helps.
i am diabetic type 2 have been for 6 years but my hot feet started 22 years ago due to a brain injury it drives me nuts i was given tegretol started with i 400mg at night i am up to 3 400 per night it worked for me for years but it has to be tegretol not the generic form,hope this helps,robert
Tegretol is used an an anticonvulsant, to treat seizures and bipolar disorder. That’s great it helped you, but I don’t think a physician would prescribe it to someone just becasue they have hot feet.
Thanks for the suggestion.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Just got done reading an article about using Vicks Vapour Rub in unconventional ways… this would seem to be another good to find another unconventional use. Anyone want to take a shot and see how it goes? The thought here is the menthol will cause the familiar "cool burn" effect and maybe relieve your HF…
Thanks for the tip. Anyone want to give it a try? Maybe I’ll pick up a small bottle and try it myself as I could get to sleep for hours last night.
I have had hot feet for more then ten years on and off and on usually later in the day. About two years ago I started to get hot hands. Now about three months ago my hands started to hurt and have stiffness and weakness. I have been taking Diclofenac Sodium which is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory for about one month now. My feet have felt cool almost cold now a few times and I have not had a bad episode except when i forgot to take the drugs.
Thanks Lance! I am going to try that.
I always find that my feet start getting hot in the early evening. If I try to keep the rest of my body cool by wearing lighter clothing, I find that it helps.
i tried that my body gets cold but my feet stay hot
i tried that my body gets cold but my feet stay hot
I have this as well. Trying filing the dead skin off of your feet. A buildup of dry, dead skin doesn’t allow your feet to breathe. Then put the gold bond lotion with menthol on your feet. Works like a charm. I’m also trying tea tree oil, but the verdict is out still.
Thanks for the suggestions!
Dude I have this problem and I have the cure! I rub Tiger Balm (Vicks Vaporub is good too, but Tiger Balm, the red stuff is best) into my soles, giving them a bit of a massage and I find that I fall asleep a few minutes after. I hope it works for you.
Great idea, thanks.
Hi
I’ve been suffering terribly from HF for the last week – haven’t slept a wink, night after night. Going to try some of these ideas out. Best thing I’ve tried so far is to leave my feet out of the bottom of the bed and let my dog lick them. That cools them down a treat.
Some people can used a spray bottle of water, but you solution is innovative and free. Thanks for the tip!
I have had the same problem for years. Recently a friend advised to soak my feet in cold water for 5 minutes before going to bed. It works like a champ! I also used to have disturbed sleep and that is resolved as well.
Oh I sympathise with you all. I also flip the covers off and stick my feet out of the bed. Its the soles that burn so bad, and they are actually hot to the touch. I fopund out what my problem was… I always had a drink of Vodka & coke or some other drink, just the one before my dinner. I got told I had some liver damage, so immediately gave up my daily tipple. I noticed that my feet didn’t burn anymore. I have a drink now and again, and then the HF syndrome starts again. Maybe it’s just me, but it may help someone else. Another trick I found was to moisturise them liberally before bed, then put them out of the bed. Works enough to get off to sleep. I would be pleased to know if the not drinking, has also helped anyone else.
Great suggestions.
The not drinking didn’t help me at all. In fact, I gave up caffeine *and* alcohol for several months. No joy. My 9-year-old has the same problem, and I know he doesn’t drink alcohol, or caffeine for that matter. We’re both thinking about inventing socks that you can slip cold packs into.
You can sit on the side of your tub and splash your feet in an inch of cold water before bed. But cool socks, neat idea!
I always thought I was a weirdo because my feet got so hot at night and I can’t sleep. I’m glad I came across this and these tips. I recently bought a fan to point right at my feet, and right now it seems to be working OK.
Thanks for the great tip using a fan.
Glad to hear there’s more out there. I always end up kicking my sheets off, moving my feet around to cooler spots of the bed, or putting them against the wall. I sometimes take a wet towel and put it over my feet but they heat up too quickly. I also have hot ears! Total bum sesh…
Boy, your too hot top to bottom! I sit on the edge of the tub and run cold water over my feet. Leave the plug in and then splash around in a few inches of cold water. Works pretty good.
Icyhot or especially biofreeze. Just figured out it works like a charm.
Thanks for the great tip!
I have this problem too,i have had it a few years now and its getting worse.I have had so many sleepless nights,but what i do now is take a COLD water bottle to bed with me and with that in between my feet i can normally get to sleep ok.If i do wake up i just find the cold water bottle again and hopefully drift off to sleep.Hope this will help you.
Great idea! Thanks for sharing.
thank you so much ..
I have just recently in the past year started to deal with HF. I am 19 and absolutly must sleep with a fan directly on me. I even stayed at a friends basement and it was 63 degrees down there.. and STILL had the fan on me. I normally just stick both my legs out from my one blanket and let the fan do work. From the quick googling I’ve done it can be cause by multiple things but diabetis is really what worries me. is this something serious enough to get it medically checked out?
If you are worried, by all means to your doctor.
So many people just like me =(
I’m 21 now, and i have this since i remember!
It’s really painfull, i’m walking with flippers on the street and my feet are so hot that makes me go home sooner.
My solution is: big and really WET TOWEL. I put it over my feet and legs. It makes me sleep so damn good…
(It’s 3:40 PM and i’m on bed with the towel on my limbs. Can’t stand being outside on summer..)
Great idea using a wet towel. Ever try a mist bottle and spray your feet when they get dry and hot?
usually i bring a cup of water with me to sleep with so when my feet get real hot i splash some on but it dries up in less then 10s.
I’ve had the same problem as long as I can remember. I’ve noticed that its much worse when I drink soda, or eat sugar before bed. Although I’m not diabetic, it would make sense that a sugar rush or imbalance could be causing the sensation…Try WATER ONLY at least a couple hours before bedtime….no sugar. Just a theory.
Great idea. Maybe some readers can give it a try and let everyone know how it worked for you.
For years I have been sticking my feet out at the end of the covers. It was the only way I could sleep! Lately though my feet have been so hot at night I have been tossing and turning in bed trying to find the cool spots. I only get to do this for a little bit because my wife gets angry at all my movement so I lay there as miserable as can be trying not to move with hot feet! I do drink almost daily, I’ve found on weekends when I drink to the point I can;t remember much I go to sleep instantly lol or maybe I just pass out! I read everyones comments so I’m going to start running down the line of remedies to see what works for me!
Give some ideas a try for sure. Let everyone know how it goes.
This started for me 3 months ago, they think as a side effect of Metoprolol . I also have some numbness in my big toes to. My EMG and neuro tests are normal. I don’t think anyone understands how uncomfortable the HF are. For me it’s the tops of my feet and my toes. I have tried a few things but when it gets real bad I use those cold gel fever strips for kids that peel and stick and stay cold for 8 hours.
Great idea, thanks!
just a suggestion for anonymous. maybe you should be tested for fabry disease. i have three people in my immediate family that have this disease and your symptoms sound similar to theres.
I am suffering from a sleepless night right now because of HF. I have noticed that it is worse if I have any kind of caffeine after 2pm or so. Tea, soda, and chocolate all seem to have the same effect. Some nights I have HF without the caffeine but definitely seems to be a factor for me. I have tried standing on a cold tile floor, a basin of cool water, wet socks, and peppermint lotion. I know I don’t have diabetes because I had a blood panel done recently but I wish there was some medical explanation.
It’s great that you identified the things that make your feet hot at night. It still seems random for me.
wow I’m glad that I’m not alone with this problem. My partner also gets angry with me for being restless in bed. I find that I can fall straight to sleep on my cool leather sofa without a problem, but its not a great solution. I’m away on business right night and cannot sleep because of my annoying hot feet. wish I could have my leather sofa right now.
There are a lot of people who have hot feet at night. Try some of the sugestions in the article or the comments and let us know.
HF here too! I also drink a lot, like some of the other guys in the thread. Couldnt it be related to alcool?
It comes and goes with me regardless of drinking. Anyone else?
I have the same problem! One thing I discovered recently is that the small of my back is the same temperature as my feet. If I sleep on my side and allow my back to be cool, so will my feet.
Great tip. I’ll give that one a try.
Yup, same here! I have always been this way, my mom, sister and niece too. I slather on baby lotion and have a fan, usually works, but on a really bad night, I have a cold foot soak, then lotion and fan. It’s a miserable thing, but it can be dealt with. Hempz lotion is good too.
Someone suggested wetting some cotton socks then wearing a pair of wool socks over top as a way to keep the feet cool. Thanks for the Hempz lotion idea.
My suffering of HF is like everyone else’s.. Bad news. You know the feeling, find the cool spots, and for a few seconds.. heaven, then find another and so on. I bought a ‘Chillow pillow’ from ebay. as a last resort, was fairly dear for what it is, BUT it works, and then some! you get that lovely ahhh.. feeling, but you haven’t got to find another cool spot, it actually stays cool. (by morning is all warm, lol) My problem is though the soles of my feet, and I have to put it higher up so that it lays on the bottom of of my tootsies, laying on my back. But I get to sleep all night. Well worth the money. They are about £30.00 give or take.
Great idea. My feet are the same way. The tops feel fine – it’s the soles that are cooking away.
Grierson-Gopalan syndrome…. look what i found! wikipedia
Here’s the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_feet_syndrome. Maybe it’s a vitamine B definciency as I don’t have anoth other symptoms.
man…right now i have this burning sensation on and its almost 2 am and im still nt getting any sleep…so i decided to google this problem im having since quite some time now…and look thr are many others….i thought i was the only one experiencing this shit lol…i v read the suggestions….im gonna strt em right nw lol…thx a lot guys
Keep trying different things until you can find one that works for you – then let me know!
I’ve got HF to, had it for 20 odd years. The best thing I have tried is vitamin B2 . The dose for the first week or 2 than stick to recommend dose. I get my feet better and stop taking B2 and the pain and heat start up again after a while so I start again. Have tried all of the above over the years B2 gives me the freedom to forget about HT
I’ve got to try the B2. Sometime my feet are fine, then it acts up for nights on end, then goes away again for a while. Read up on it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B_vitamins
Suffer too from HF, rubbing castor l oil is my solution needs about 20 mins to take effect.
Great idea, thanks!
I too suffer with HF, have done so for a number of years. I have just started putting sox in the freezer!
I am going to try all the suggestions. I hope I get some relief soon!
Great idea. Let us know how it works!
I have had this my whole life!!!
I
As I type this I am sitting like monkey on my couch clutching a very cold water bottle between my hot feet or as I jokingly call them Patas Calientes.
So nice to know I am not totally insane!!!
I keep a water spray bottle in the fridge then keep it by my bed at night just incase I wake up with warm patas.
Good luck all my hot footed peeps!!!
I thought I was nucking futs until I wrote this post about having hot feet. Seems quite a few people are in the same situation.
Thanks all for your suggestions!
Vitamin b2 is the solution. Take one capsule few hours before you go to bed.
Thanks Mike.
I eat a lot of yogurt – a good supply of riboflavin.
I decided to give B2 a go. It’s only been a few days, I’ll let you know how it worked out. On the plus side, I certainly have the most wonderfully yellow pee.
I too have had this problem for several years, it is nice to know I am not alone! I thought it was to do with hormones, but are willing to try some of your good advice, believe you me I have tried so many things. It is ridiculous to lay in bed with no bedclothes on in the middle of winter but that is how I seem to end up most nights if I want any sleep at all. If someone finds a miracle cure will will all be extremely grateful.
It is great to get some feedback to let me know I wasn’t alone with hot feet at night. Maybe we can find a solution.
BTW, I have been taking B2 for a couple of weeks. It hasn’t really helped.
Well, Well, Well…. I am not a weirdo! There are many of us…!!
I spent much of my teenage years and adult life spraying my feet with cold water, running them under a cold tap, and of late resulted to a fan sitting at the bottom of my bed 365 days a year cooling my feet so I can get to sleep (although was middle of winter with heating on, but feet roasting and body cold!)
What I have tried… What havent I?
Welcome to the secret society of hot feet at night sufferers. I mentioned having hot feet at night while at work and everyone that I was nuts. Nobody’s even heard of it. Well Dan, you are not alone.
Ahhh…finally! Someone who understands! I haven’t slept in 3 days from this crap….going try the vicks…..
Let us know how it works for you. Thanks.
I too have suffered from this for about a year, drives me bonkers to the point where I feel the whole universe will explode at any moment out the tips of my toes. I tried the B2, and it worked for a few weeks but the HF came back. Packs of frozen veggies work well too, but it takes forever to cool the bad feet down. Tonight I have mixed about 10 drops of pure peppermint essential oil with 1 tablespoon of coconut massage oil, and rubbed all over my left foot, while I have been reading the other posts on here my foot has cooled down and is ready to sleep, so I am about to oil my right foot now and hopefully I will be cooled and sleeping shortly. If you are going to try this idea be careful to wipe your hands well after application as you do NOT want peppermint oil in the wrong places!!!!!!
Maybe put an old towel under your feet so as not to get stains on your sheets………good luck…….. Thank You, Bob
Let us know how it went.
Wow, I suffered from HS for years and years. My husband called me “his little heater”. I did everything you guys did too! Since then I found out that I had CLL ( chronic lymphocytic leukemia ). And got chemo which put me in remission. Then my HS went away, so I didn’t think much of it then i just thought I got hot feet from the illness. So my daughter started getting HS, and I started getting really worried til I came across this chat. I realized that it wasn’t the remission that stopped the HS, it was the fact that I cut back on sugar, went to honey, lowered my a salt intake, eat more fiber, take a multivitamin plus a sublingual vitamin B 12, all things the doctor told me to do to stay healthy. My feet are freezing when I go to bed every night now and it feels wonderful.
Great you overcame having hot feet at night! I started getting hot feet when I was in my teens.
I have had this problem for years. The best cure I have found is to put on wet cotton socks and hang my feet out of the covers. For extreme cases I will aim a fan at my wet sock-covered feet. I can fall asleep right away if I do this, it works so fast. The other method I use has been mentioned: an ice pack in my bed. I wrap it in a towel. The only thing is that it takes some manuevering to keep it on the soles of my feet where it is needed. Oddly, I have problems getting my feet warm at night way more often these days than the hot feet issues. The problem has exactly the same effect: I can NOT fall asleep until my feet are a normal temperature.
Great ideas! I remember once going outside in the winter to stand in the snow for a minute. My feet were so cold they hurt like crazy for a few minutes after I got back in but then I fell right to sleep.
Your idea sounds less painful.
SMH…. i know this pain o too well. All you want to do is sleep… but you cant because your FEET are on freakin fire! ive had this problem myself since i was a teenager (maybe being a teen is were it starts?) when i was young it would only happen when i stayed with friends over night. now it happens regularly. but i think i may know what causes it… well i have a couple theories. First, maybe it could be stress/ or anxiety throughout the day, or at night when your calming down and have a chance to have a calm mind and reflect… wich ultamately gets you to think and thinking can cause so many problems!!! or my second theory is that since we walk on our feet all day and put constant pressure on them, couldnt it be true that our feet are swollen thoughout the day, and if they are swollen then blood supply is being cut off during the day. so when we relax in bed with our feet and head and the same angle the swelling in our feet will go down, thus letting blood flow through our feet better. this would mean that with less bloos supply though the day our feet will be cool but when the blood is flowing it will warm our feet up to a temp they arent used to making them feel extremely hot. ive been suffering for 14 years and i have read almost every thing i could about this…. i just wish drs woulod realize its real and they should look into it rather than just give us a sleeping pill and forget about it.any ways thanks for a suport page its greatly needed…. ice packs in bed are a true nights sleep life saver
Thanks for your theories. My feet have been blistering hot lately when I’m trying to get to sleep. Right now I think it’s because I’m too warm in bed. It’s a transition period from winter to spring where I still have the winter comforter on because it gets too at night, but it’s too warm when I get into bed.
It seems like I vent heat from the top and bottom – head and feet. When I switch from the winter to spring blankets, maybe it won’t be as bad.
HF!!!!! I always say my feet have fevers. Hahaha. I’m so glad I googled this. I’m not alone! I’m going to try some cooling lotions/creams. I always sleep with a fan, but not directly on my feet. I also interchange the bottoms of my feet on my opposite leg, which is always cold. Or on top of the cool blankets… I hope the lotion works!
We are not alone. The heck with ET, hot feet at night is an issue with a lot of people.
I started having problems with hot feet around age 24 or 25. I’ve tried peppermint lotions, washing my feet with peppermint soap and turning a small fan on my feet. The fan is what helps most consistently.
I’m a fan of your comment. Thanks, Whitney.
Wow, I am glad to know I’m not whacked out. This is such an issue for me. Right now, I’m in bed with greasy feet (lotion), and a fan pointed directly at them, and yes the covers are off of them. Wtf? I need some relief.
You’re o.k., I’m o.k. But it is a weird thing to have happen – hot feet at night.
Hey guys!
This has been driving me insane! I have bad circulation and during the day my feet are usually ice cold, which is fine… but at night they are hotter than the sun! I usually shuffle them around until iv run out of cold bits of mattress and duvet… then begin shuffling them up the wall.. and then finally up my partners legs (when he is the only thing left that I haven’t boiled with my feet!). It drives us both insane!
I also have restless leg syndrome, but weirdly… the 2 conditions never ever occur at the same time! Odd!
Im going to begin trying all these suggestions soon, but for now am just glad I’m not alone in my hot feet agony! x
Let us know how it goes and what you found that works for you to cool your hot feet at night.
Wow it is somewhat comforting to find others that have the same problem! I am to the point I am checking with my doctor at my next checkup. I am going to try the vicks. try to find something that works. It started out occasionally but progressed to every night now. My feet have become so dry! it is miserable!
Try a few things for your hot feet and let us know how it goes.
I thought I was the only one with this issue my solutions were to put a fan up againts my feet throughout the whole night or put an ice pack on my bed and leave my feet on it throughout the whole night
It is a strange thing to have. I’ve stood outside on an icy sidewalk to cool my hot feet. In retrospect not a great idea – lucky my feet didn’t get stuck to the ice. Outside in my PJs at 2am stuck to the sidewalk would have been a bummer.
OMGosh, I can’t believe I found this site….you know the old saying..misery loves company!! I’ve tried just about everything; wet socks, biofreeze, cold water splashing, lotion, etc….what works the best for me are the ice packs. I stand on them until they’re about defrosted, run jump in bed and most often fall asleep before my feet become hot again. It’s the weirdest da*n thing isn’t it, this HF stuff? But, it’s nice to know we’re all not alone in this, miserable as it may be.
Welcome to the hot feet club! You have it figured out – cool them off and get to sleep before they heat up again.
This cure may only work in our family, but if I eat garlic, I get hot feet. If I don’t, I don’t. I don’t know if it would work for people in other families, but my mother told me it was the solution for her hot feet at night problem and it sure has been for mine.
Maybe people should keep a food log and see if there is a connection between what they have eaten and having hot feet that night. Great idea Pat.
Love it, seriously the logic between Latin and English is inspired.
It appears I have HF too.
I assure all posters advocating lifestyle, mine is generally good, I smoke moderately, I drink moderately, take healthy exercise, eat healthily, so I dont think lifestyle has any part in HF syndrome. To all you Smoker Haters, I had this before I became a slave to the nicotine
Thanks Sharon. I don’t think diet has anything to do with it as I’m 14 days into a fast and I still get hot feet.
At last a name – HF. Thank you! I am a long term sufferer. I pray for a cure, until then i will sleep on the tiled kitchen floor….
Like Fox Mulder, we are not alone.
Damn!! I have HF too. And not just HF. My legs get smokin hot up to my knees. And sticking them out from the blanket does not help
I have jut returned from sittig on the side of the tub with cold water in it.
I used to smoke and my feet were always cold. Even in summer. Now…. Yes yes. Cold tiles. Basement. And snow – have done that mny of times.
I was pregnant last year and kept a bowl of water beside the bed. Would fill a juice jug with ice, dump in the bowl and then I could sleep again.
Gonna have to Georgetown some cold packs.
I originally wrote this post because I didn’t have a good sleep idea. I figured I was the only one with hot feet at night. Little did I know, there are many people with this condition.
Let me know how the cold pack go.
I mean gonna have to get some cold packs.
I too have very hot feet ay night. At least 4 nights a week. Im 29 with diabetes. But I have no nerve damage or diabetic neuropathy (sp). it drives me mental… I LIVE in a basement apartment that has granite floor tiles, which used to be unbearably cold to me. Its just been the last 3 months. I can’t figure out why this is happening. On the nights my feet/calves are hot I’ve been walking around bare foot on the granite towel, rinsing my feet with ice cold water, and freezing towels to wrap around my feet. All the while hanging my feet out of my blanket. I hope someday this goes away.
Just thought I should add that this hot feet action starts about and hour before I decide to go to sleep. Don’t think it matters though
It’s similar with me. My feet start toasting up around 8pm (I have to take my socks off). As part of your body’s normal rhythms, your body temperature starts to go down later in the evening as you are winding down to getting ready for bed. Seems like the feet aren’t getting the message!
i think that might matter cause thats when mine starts too.. i wander y though cause if im up it doesnt hurt but when i get into my bed it automatically starts up i wander if it has anything to do with sleep issues or some type of stress on the body
No one really knows. Maybe so.
My hot feet started in my teens and I’m 54 now. Seems like a life long thing.
i get super hot feet at night and i am only 22 i dont know what it is but it makes me not be able to sleep i so thought i was alone in this but now i see that i am not does the cold towels help at all i put lottion on my feet but in only cools for a short time.. my feet like get burning hot to where it hurts and it hurts up to almost my knee at times
Try drunking your feet in cold water. When you take them out they should be so cold they hurt. Pat dry then head off to sleep.
This might sound stupid, but are your feet hot inside and out??? Mine are ice cold to the touch, but feel like hot irons inside. It starts when I put my book down and turn the light off… I have a bucket of cold water next to my bed and plunk them in there till it hurts…then I can sleep. In the summer I hvae to add a fan at this point! I am 57 and it started 2 years ago. My mother also suffered from hot feet. I have not worn socks or shoes the past 18 months…I wear sandals all year round
A lot of the time the tops of my feet feel fine, it’s just the soles that feel hot.
On another note, I did a 21 day fast and one side effect was I was freezing all the time. One evening when my feet felt hot I took off my socks and my feet felt cold to the touch – but my brain still sensed that they were hot.
Normally at night your body temperature goes down. It seems like a part of the brain that controls the feet are missing that cue to cool down and/or getting it backward and is heating things up.
What do you think?
Omg I get this sooooo bad! It’s driving me and my bf mad!! I’ve tried cold showers fans wet socks ice packs and now herbal sleeping tablets!!!! Nowt works HELP!!!!!!
No one seems to have an answer for a cure-all. Try ice packs.
I don’t know Bob…It is a thought though! That could make it a neurological problem instead of a physical one.
I am curious…do any of you have hot feet during the day as well? Not after having walked a mile in heels, but just doing daily stuff.
I had acupuncture and the acupuncturist said he could fix it, but it made no difference. I find that the basin of cold water is a good thing. On a bad night I fall asleep with my feet in the basin ( or wet feet in front of the fan), but normally I will just sit on the bed and read, with my feet in water. I also find that when my feet have been REALLY freezing cold, the hotties don’t come back again that night. I put moisturizer on my feet every night before going to bed to avoid that “dry, burning, tight skin” feeling…..be careful getting up on the tiled floor in the night
. The colder the room, the better for my feet.
My feet never bother me during the day. It’s after dinner around 7-8pm that I have to take my socks off.
The tops of my feet are the same temperature as my shins but the bottom of my feet are toasty.
mine for some reason are bothering me right now and they never do in the day but i am really sleepy right now so i wander if its that i really think it has to do with a sleeping issue\
Mine never bother me during the day. They start heating up around 7-8pm
Wow i thought i was suffering alone. I am 31 years man, i have had HF for some years and always start from around 8pm but i manage to sleep though it hard. After i sleep i wake up my feet normal. I recently went to the hospital and they suspected diabetes or anemia but nothing of such came from blood test. I need a cure i am tired of cold water in a basin and sleeping my feet on an open window. FYI even when i dont eat i still get HF and i dont smoke nor take beer, this is really getting to my nerves now. the doctor told me i drink lot of water which i guess i have become a water guy and still no change, anyone please!!!!!
Having hot feet at night is uncomfortable and there is nothing really in the way of a sure fire cure. If you mention it to a doctor most will have to idea what you’re talking about.
Hia, I have suffered with HF forver, and i have recently found that sulpher might be answer, sulpher cools the blood down and there is this: – http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=1WSwOTfheTsC&pg=PT186&lpg=PT186&dq=sulphur+in+ibs+and+hot+feet&source=bl&ots=ojiD3dZ-eZ&sig=DtZz-pYQu4SQK7KM3sCUWr90Acg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=RtwCUL3jNqbI0QX33P2EBw&ved=0CE8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=sulphur%20in%20ibs%20and%20hot%20feet&f=false
Read the bit about sulphur at the end ignoring everything else, maybe it might be a thought?
I could follow the link, but I searched sulphur and hot feet and one lady said her long suffering husband tried one pill of Sulphur 6 c and it cured his problem.
Anyone care to give this homeopathic treatmentit a try?
I’m 54 and you will often see me walking around on the cold cement at night, even in the winter.
What I have found is that although my feet are burning if someone touches them their hands feel hotter. I am designing a bed quilt that has a slit in the bottom, about 40cm in so you feet can stick out.
(Like a poncho. Your head sticks through)
The quilt is easy to make but the cover is proving a bit harder. Until that is solved I use a single winter doona/quilt sewn to a single summer doona/quilt.
The wife has the hot side and i have the summer side. She got sick of me throwing my half on her side.
Great idea Bryan!
I was told if I take vitamin B12 that would fix it.
It did for a few nights but then no luck. As I said I think my feet are hot but to someone touching them they are not. Often cooler than their hands. So is it in my mind??? They feel like you could fry an egg on them some nights!!!
i feel the same my husband always says there not hot at all what are u talking about but for me they hurt so bad i wanna scream and i toss and turn trying to sleep and it deosnt happen i cant get relief at all i need a cure quick cause i am loosing to much sleep with this problem
I have found something that has been helping me so much. Bengay has a cold therapy line now ( could be old news for all I know). this particular product works best stored in freezer. http://www.bengay.com/bengay_zero_degrees_gel
Thanks for the great idea Alanna. Wouldn’t be a Bengay sales rep would you? Just kidding. We need some people to give it a try.
I have been suffering from this since I was a kid (I’m 42 now). No doctor can explain it. My feet also get red and swollen. And, the hurt so bad at times. It feels like they are dry and the skin is pulling away or stretching but they are not dry at all. This starts happening around 2 hours prior to bed and wakes me up all night long. Upon waking, putting pressure on them as I walk feels like they are numb and swollen but they look normal…..oh, my aching feet!
Hot and swollen on top of the hot feet, poor you. I’ve never had that myself, just the hot soles.
I’ve suffered with burning feet since I was a teenager and I’m now 55. My mom said that her mom, my grandma, had it too so I’m thinking it might be inherited. Her doctor told her he thought it was a vitamin B deficiency. I’ve never asked my own doctor about this. In the winter I seem to be fine because while others have cold feet mine feel good. Haven’t tried anything yet.
Some have tried B3 or B12. No real proof it works.
I get a mean HF myself. I’m a 25 year old healthy male, great circulation et all, and yet still these stupid feet get so hot at night! They’ve kept me up until 2:00 am the last 3 nights in a row, which is not ideal when you have to wake up at 6:30 to go to work. I don’t know what to do! I’ve run from my room to the sink, done the ‘foot in cold water’ method, and they get all hot again by the time I’ve crawled back into bed! I might have to try this sulpher method though…worth a shot.
When my feet get hot after I have gone to bed, I put them in a bucket of cold water, I have next to my bed, untill they are numb with cold…and my calves are numb with cold. It takes about 5-10 minutes…and then I can sleep. A minute or 2 is not enough for me. I rarely wake up with hot feet again that night. If you haven’t tried for that long, it could be worth a try. Good luck
I’ve sat on the edge of the tub and let the cold water run over my hot feet. The colder the better. Thanks Anne.
I usually chill my hot feet down until they are so cold they hurt (ice packs). Then I can drop right off to sleep.
I’m 25 never smoked in my life and have had this HF as long as I can remember!So bad it hurts when I try to cool them in snow or water or on cold surfaces but the ice pack gave me a idea! My 5 yr old had a fever the other day so I went to the kids fever section and I found little square cold Gel patch that sticks to skin and is good for several hours I’m going to put them on my feet hopefully I will be able to sleep. There called BE KOOL they stay cold for 8 hrs and stick to skin! Also have cool Mickey mouse and other Disney characters on them! I put them on while having this brain wave and they are heavenly so far! Good night and good luck!
What a great idea! Thansk Nmulkay.
I thought i suffered with restlss leg syndrome but i also get burning soles and aching feet and calves the next day,its as if my legs and feet aren’t rested at all.Drives me nuts and no docters seem to have a clue.I hope to god a cure is found as my sleep has suffered for years and at 41 with 3 young kids my patience depends on it !!!!!
Does anyone else have restless leg syndrome and burning soles together?
My feet also feel like they are on fire and then are colder than my hands when I touch them I have been sleeping with those little patches every night and I love them I can actually fall asleep within a few minutes of sticking them on my feet. No restless legs though. So I’m happy to use the BE KOOL patches. It’s the only throng that cools them without being painful.
really well i think that i may try that then.. i spent the night at my sisters last night and for some reason my feet didnt get hot at all i really dont know what it is i am really wandering if it has to do with sleep amnea however u spell that and something with stress
I’ve found that I don’t hot feet at night every night. Some nights there’s no problem and other nights I’m worried I’m gonna set the bed on fire.
I have the same problem. I hate it. I started using a foot cream with menthol in it and it helps.
Having hot feet at night is sure a strange thing to have. Great to hear the cream helps.
could anyone mention the cream name because i have searched here in Europe and cant find. i need a name so i could look for it, or buy through ebay
Try to Google: menthol foot cream. They have several you can check out.
thanks bob
Hi, i’m literally losing sleep now with HF and thought i’d read through this, fascinating! I’m 31 and have had this for years. My wife has chronic CF (cold feet) at night, which are more like blocks of ice! Her condition seems more common though. I was wondering, does anyone suffering HF here also have some sort of general anxiety? I have had anxiety almost all of my life, and anytime I have something weird going on physically, it ALWAYS comes back to the dreaded anxiety. I’ve had countless tests for random things in the past that left docs scratching their heads and generally annoyed with me, but anxiety was always the culprit. It manifests itself in amazing ways. So anyway, since this is weird and seemingly inexplicable, i’m guessing anxiety! At least for me. Stay cool everyone!
Try to sleep back to back with your wife and place the soles of your feet together with the each other. Maybe you’ll both even out.
Thanks for your comment. Having hot feet at night is weird, but apparently not all that uncommon.
I too have/am suffering from HF… It is absolutely horrible!! I have had hot feet all day long since I was pregnant with my last son, his dob is 12.29.09. I first noticed it when I was 3 months pregnant, and I wore flip flops till the day I delivered him, even in the snow & ice. It quickly went away until about a month or two after I had my son, then it returned. I am going through 4-5 ice packs a night, and I am a stay at home mom, and constantly have my feet elevated for the most part of the day. My doctor’s have no explanation, and I wish and pray one day there will be a cure for this !!!
I have found that it my hot feet settle down by the middle of the night. Does yours?
No, mine stay hot all night long, and they even burn up during the day now too… They’re about to drive me insane!! I wish there was such an explanation for this syndrome, or whatever you want to call it, and wish there was something the doctor’s could do to help with this problem!
Doctors tend to look at me like I’m nuts. I don’t think they know about it.
I have suffered from what my family calls ‘hot foot syndrome’ for as long as I can remember (I’m 42 now). It seems to run in the family on my mother’s side. It is miserable trying to sleep when it feels as though your feet could burst into flames at any moment. I’ve done everything from ice packs to standing in ankle deep snow to try to cool them off. Doctors would look at me like I was insane when I tried to explain it. However, after I started having other sensations and eventually woke one morning to find I couldn’t move my legs or urinate, the doctors were forced to take my hot feet into consideration as a symptom of something else. After a lengthy hospital stay, months of physical therapy, and three years of tests I finally got a diagnosis of Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). I now have loss of sensation due to nerve damage over the lower half of my body and have to walk with the assistance of a cane and the outer parts of my hands and arms are also affected. Oddly enough, the only pronounced sensation I have left in my feet is the sense that they could burst into flames at any moment. Sigh. I just wanted to relate this story in case it helps anyone who feels their hot feet might be a symptom of something more serious. If I had been able to catch my disease before so much damage had been done I would likely have full use of my legs today.
Thank you for your comment. I agree, most doctors look at you like you’re nut when you tell them you have hot feet.
By itself having hot feet is not serious, but if anyone has other sysmptoms like Chris did, you should see your doctor right away.
I started having HF around 10 years ago when I was 25 and in the Army. What I’ve noticed is it always happens when I’m tired, regardless of what shift I’m working. So working nights, then sleeping days, the HF would kick in an hour or so before I got to bed. Working days, sleeping nights, same thing. I’ve tried it all to cool my feet; ice packs, cold puddles, sleeping with wet socks, all of it offered temporarily relief. When it’s really bad, I’ll take 3 mg of melatonin an hour before going to bed. It doesn’t stop HF from occurring, just makes it a nuisance instead of unbearable and that’s enough to allow me to sleep.
I was diagnosed with gout a few years ago and thought all this was related to that. But regardless of what my uric acid level was at, or what my diet consisted of that month, HF was pretty constant.
Having hot feet at night is anoying and makes getting to sleep difficult. Still haven’t fount out what causes it though.
Ive actually been dealing with this my entire life and I’m now 27. After reading several of these posts I can assure you it has nothing to do with being overweight, diabetes, poor blood flow, etc. I’m in great shape and have been an athlete since I can remember. My doc always told me it was due to the fact I had a very mild case of rosecea. Which in turn can somewhat be a heat allergy. Let me ask y’all this…when your feet are hot and laying in bed is your nose stuffy and your hands and feet kinda feel swollen?? Then when your feet finally cool off everything goes back to “normal”? If so then that’s probably what is causing it.
I have never had any other symptoms like you described.
Being a guy I have noticed that if Chip and Dale are hot my feet are too.
I have the same problem!!! I put cold water on them, ice, stand on cold stuff, all that and they get hot right away again after I stop. Sometimes I’m being lazy and just try to put them on a cold part of the sheets bottoms down. They get them warm to the touch right away! It drives my fiancé insane when I try to cool them off, but he just doesn’t understand!
I’ve heard it may have something to do with diabetes? I have other symptoms of it too and it runs in my family but I am trying to pretend its not true and convince myself that I’m too young and am not overweight so it can’t be.
You should talk with your doctor about your diabetes concerns.
I don’t have diabetes but I have had hot feet at night since I was a teenager.
I have HF and painful feet during the day as well. However I find if I use acupressure inner soles – with bobbles on my feet life is almost normal foot-wise. I spent about 3 hours barefoot recently and had the worst HF at night ever. Which proves to me that the innersoles are helpful
Great suggestion. I may give it a try.
I too have HF. It runs in my family along with Restless Leg Syndrome. I’ve found the HF is worse when I am anemic. Check your iron levels people; it helped me immensely!
Ive been struggling with this for months! It started with my husband having HF and then, all of a sudden now I have it, and he’s fine most of this time. I miss my cold feet! And i never thought i would say that!
I’ve tried so many of these remedies, and haven’t had any luck. It’s so good to know there are others suffering with me right now..
What is this horrible condition.? Know one seems to know. I have had it for years sometimes worse than others. It makes bedtime stressful
I have resorted to taking a frozen bottle of powerade to bed with me and keeping my feet on it till i can fall asleep. My daughter is fourteen and she has the same problem though not as often. Must be hereditary.
Omg I’m not alone !!!!!
I recall putting a wet wash cloth on my feet at age 9. this failed because the cloth warmed up. I’ve had intermittent hot feet ever since, and I’m a senior. I had a stressful childhood, so I suspect stress could be the key factor for those that have no physical diagnosis to pin HF on. The best advice I’ve seen on this site is to get the feet cold before attempting to go to sleep. If this doesn’t work, you might need to recognize what stresses are in your life and find a way to reduce them. If none of this works, you can always go the doctor route in case your problem is physical, or even mental. But for most people cold applications and stress reduction will do the job. Good luck.
Hi,
I also have HF, and have had it for years. My friends think it is the weirdest thing when i tell them about my HF. Great to find this blog!
I have recently started an diet to look for Food intolerances using the Virgin Diet as a guide.
see http://www.amazon.com/The-Virgin-Diet-Foods-Pounds/dp/0373892713.
The author JJ Virgin has you take 7 food types out of your diet. It is hard, but may be worth a shot.
I have only done this for a week now, and noticed that I have not had HF for the past 4 nights. I hope that I finally found the culprit! I will keep you posted.
Lots of people seem to have this same issue – hot feet at night while trying to get to sleep.