At night, many wake up with one foot out, one leg sticking out, or the pillow turned to the cool side. This reflex comes back in summer and winter, to the point of seeming like a mania. A Spanish pharmacist says it has a simple scientific basis: the way the body manages its heat to get to sleep. When this mechanism goes wrong, the quality of rest drops.
In a video posted on TikTok, pharmacist Elena Monje (@infarmarte) explains that “to be able to sleep well and reach the deepest phases of sleep, the body must slightly lower its internal temperature“. She specifies that “normally it goes down half a degree and this small change is key for the brain to enter the deep sleep phase“. This slight cooling actually serves as a signal to start sleeping.
Taking your leg out of the duvet: what Elena Monje says
To cool itself, the body does not act like a fan. According to Elena Monje, he does this by “redistributing blood flow“. She describes: “More blood is sent to the skin and extremities, releasing heat into the environment“, then specifies that “this is why, without realizing it, we take out our little paw or we look for a colder surface“The feet and hands then become natural radiators.
The pharmacist recalls that “If this drop in temperature does not occur, it will take longer for you to fall asleep and rest will be affected.“. She adds that “results in less deep sleep and more nighttime awakenings“. In other words, letting in a little freshness thanks to a leg out of the duvet helps you achieve deep sleep more quickly and wake up less during the night.
Turning the pillow: another gesture to cool down
This need for cold also explains why so many people turn their pillows over to find a cool side. Elena Monje sees the same reflex: the head and neck seek a colder support to help the body lose a little heat. Psychologists point out that these small, repeated gestures also form a reassuring bedtime ritual, which helps some people relax.
If the room is too hot or the duvet too thick, the body struggles to cool down and the brain receives a garbled message, hence those feet that stick out or that pillow that we keep turning over. This is why a room at 18°C is recommended.
How to use these reflexes to sleep better
“So keep moving your arms and legs out while you sleep, it will help you rest a lot.“, concludes Elena Monje in her TikTok video, viewed more than 2.9 million times.
The idea is to give the body a little room to maneuver: a duvet that is not too heavy, light pajamas, a breathable cotton sheet, so that it can adjust its temperature itself.