I’ve been struggling with my feet burning every night around 9 PM. It makes it impossible to fall asleep without a lot of tossing and turning. Lately, I’ve been trying to build a more consistent “wind-down” routine to see if it helps settle the nerves before bed.
First, I look at my environment. I’ve started dimming the lights and keeping the bedroom at exactly 68 degrees. I also make sure there are no heavy blankets pressing down on my toes, which seems to trigger the stinging. Second, my routine involves a lukewarm soak with Epsom salts followed by a very light application of magnesium lotion. I try to do this at the same time every night.
Finally, I’m tracking how I feel the next morning in a small notebook. It’s early days, but having a set sequence seems to lower my anxiety about the pain, which might be helping the pain itself. Does anyone else have a specific ritual that helps them settle down for the night?
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The heavy blanket thing is so real. I had to buy one of those ‘blanket cradles’ that lifts the covers off my feet. It looks silly but it changed my life.
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I’m skeptical about the magnesium lotion, does it actually soak in? I’ve heard mixed things from my podiatrist.
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I use the magnesium lotion too! It doesn’t take the pain away 100% but it dulls the ‘zapping’ feeling enough so I can actually drift off.
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My routine is a bit different. I do ten minutes of very gentle seated yoga focusing on my calves and ankles. Then I use a cooling gel. If I skip the stretching, I pay for it at 2 AM with cramps and burning. Consistency is definitely the hardest part once you start feeling a little better, you think you can skip a night, but then it comes back twice as hard.
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I need to try the notebook idea. I usually just complain to my husband but I don’t actually track what works!
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@NanaJoy, my doctor said the same, but honestly, even if it’s just the act of massaging it in that helps the circulation, I’ll take it.
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Have you tried deep breathing while you do the soak? I find if I’m stressed, the nerves fire off more. I do 4-7-8 breathing while my feet are in the water.
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68 degrees is the sweet spot. Any warmer and my feet feel like they are on fire. I also use a small fan pointed right at the end of the bed.
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I started taking a B-complex supplement with dinner as part of my routine. It took about a month but the ‘pins and needles’ feeling has lessened during the night.
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Getting old isn’t for the weak, is it? I spend more time on my ‘bedtime prep’ than I do on my actual hobbies these days.
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Actually, I find the cold makes mine worse. I have to wear loose wool socks to bed or the numbness turns into sharp pain. Everyone is so different.
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Regarding the tracking—try adding a column for what you ate that day. I noticed a huge correlation between high sodium dinners and my night-time flare ups. The notebook really helps you see those patterns that you’d otherwise miss.
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Great tips here. I’m going to try the dimming lights tonight. I usually stay on my iPad until I close my eyes, which probably doesn’t help my nerves settle down.
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How long do you soak for? If I stay in too long my skin gets pruned and then the lotion feels itchy.
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I do about 15 minutes, no more. And I make sure to dry very thoroughly between the toes! That’s a big one my nurse told me.
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