Can You Sleep in Compression Socks? When and How Long to Wear Them
Can you wear compression socks to bed?
In most cases, no. NHS guidance says it's best to wear compression stockings during the day and remove them at bedtime. Cleveland Clinic gives the same general advice: wear compression socks while you're awake and take them off when you sleep.
The reason is gravity. A Cleveland Clinic cardiovascular specialist explains that the benefit happens when you're up and moving and gravity is working on the veins in your legs. When you lie down, you take away that pull, so there's no reason to wear compression socks to sleep.
There are exceptions, which we cover below. If your doctor or nurse has given you specific instructions, follow those over any general advice, including this article.
Why you should not wear compression socks at night
- There's little benefit. Lying flat already takes gravity's pull off your leg veins. NHS guidance notes you can remove stockings at night when your legs are raised in bed.
- Your skin needs a break. Cleveland Clinic notes that wearing compression around the clock can be hard on your skin. Night is a good time to take them off, moisturize and let your skin breathe.
- Problems are harder to catch. While you sleep, you can't feel a sock that has bunched up, rolled down or started to dig in. Doctors who reported pressure sores caused by compression stockings recommend taking stockings off regularly to check the skin underneath.
- Everyday socks aren't hospital stockings. The white anti-embolism stockings, often called TED hose, used in hospitals are designed for people who are confined to bed. They give more even pressure and aren't usually as tight. Everyday graduated compression socks are made for people who are up and about.
Our comparison of compression socks vs stockings vs TED hose explains the differences in more detail.
Is it safe to wear compression socks to bed? The exceptions
Falling asleep in them once isn't usually harmful. Cleveland Clinic says it isn't necessarily harmful to wear compression while sleeping, especially for short periods, and that leaving them on for a nap is fine.
Your doctor may also ask you to wear compression at night in some situations:
- Leg ulcers from vein disease. Cleveland Clinic notes that wearing compression at night can help open sores on the legs heal, and that bandages for ulcers or wounds may stay on overnight.
- After surgery. You may be given anti-embolism stockings to wear while you're less mobile.
- After vein treatment. The NHS notes that after some varicose vein procedures you may need to wear compression stockings for about a week. Your care team will tell you whether that includes nights.
NHS guidance also says some people who can't take stockings off and on every day may be told to leave them on, as long as they're changed at least once a week. That's a decision for your nurse or doctor, not something to try on your own.
When to wear compression socks
The best time to put compression socks on is first thing in the morning, before your legs start to swell. MedlinePlus suggests doing it before you even get out of bed. Then keep them on through the hours you're upright.
Common times people wear them:
- Workdays on your feet, or long days sitting at a desk.
- Travel. The Cochrane review of airline passengers studied flights of at least five hours. See our page on compression socks for travel.
- Pregnancy, if your provider agrees. Cleveland Clinic notes that low-compression socks may be a good choice during pregnancy.
- Exercise, if you like how they feel. Cleveland Clinic notes that any effect happens while you exercise, so there's no need to keep them on afterward.
If daily ankle swelling is the reason you wear them, our guide to compression socks for swelling has more tips.
How long should you wear compression socks each day?
For most people, the answer is from the time you get up until the time you go to bed. A Cleveland Clinic specialist advises putting them on in the morning before your feet, legs and ankles start swelling, and taking them off before bed or after you finish exercising.
If you're new to compression, it may feel snug at first. Stanford Health Care says it can take a few days to adjust to the pressure, and Cleveland Clinic compares it to breaking in a new pair of shoes. Some people start with a few hours a day and add more time as they get used to it. If they still feel uncomfortable after that, check the size and strength instead of pushing through.
If your doctor prescribed compression, follow their instructions on how many hours a day to wear it. MedlinePlus notes that you may need to wear them all day, and advises not to stop wearing prescribed stockings without talking to your provider.
How long can you wear compression socks: days, weeks or years?
There's no set limit on how many days, weeks or years you can wear compression socks. Many people with vein problems wear them every day for the long term. What matters is the daily routine: on in the morning, off at night, with a look at your skin in between.
The socks themselves do wear out. MedlinePlus advises replacing compression stockings every 3 to 6 months so they keep their compression. Having two pairs lets you wear one while the other is being washed.
Signs your compression socks are too tight
Compression socks should feel firm, like a snug hug, but they should never hurt. Take them off if you notice:
- Pain
- Numbness, tingling or pins and needles
- Skin color changes, or toes that turn cold or blue
- Swelling that gets worse
- Blisters, sores or broken skin
- Deep marks or dents that are still there long after you take the socks off
Light lines from the knit that fade soon after you take the socks off are normal. If symptoms don't settle once the socks are off, call your doctor. These signs can mean the size or strength is wrong, the sock bunched or rolled, or there's a circulation problem that needs checking. Our compression sock size guide explains how to measure your calf at its widest point.
Check with your doctor before wearing compression socks if you have peripheral arterial disease, poor circulation in the legs, heart failure, or reduced feeling in your feet. If you can't feel your feet well, you may not notice when a sock is too tight.
A simple bedtime routine for your legs
- Take your socks off at bedtime, sitting down.
- Look over your feet, ankles and shins, including the backs of your heels. Use a hand mirror if bending is hard.
- Moisturize. Evening is the best time for lotion, so it has all night to soak in before your socks go back on.
- Wash the pair you wore, or set out a clean pair for the morning.
If taking compression socks off at night is a struggle, a side zipper makes it quick: unzip and lift your foot out. Our zip-up compression socks are knee-high and 15-20 mmHg, with a soft fabric guard behind the zipper. Wash them in cold water, zipped closed, in a mesh bag, and hang them to dry. For the morning half of the routine, see how to put on compression socks.