The signs of poor circulation in your feet are hard to miss. Your feet will feel ice cold, even when you cover them with pairs of socks and plush slippers. You will consistently notice sensations like tingling, throbbing and numbness. The sensations can be more than distracting — they can be downright painful.
The situation isn’t hopeless. Some simple lifestyle changes can drastically reduce unpleasant symptoms. Follow these four tips to improve your circulation and increase your overall comfort:
Buy Compression Hosiery!
The right kind of socks will make a big difference with your circulation. You may have tried thick fluffy socks to heat up your feet, but these only offer better insulation. You should use compression socks to improve your circulation because they hug the limbs and reduce the diameter of distended veins, helping the blood flow back to your heart.
If you don’t know where to buy compression socks to improve your circulation and stop your symptoms, go to a foot clinic. They will have specialists determine the right pressure, length and size for you. They will have a variety of styles available for different situations like dressing for the office or trips to the gym.
Cut Down on Caffeine!
The reason why you should cut down on caffeine is that it contributes to blood vessel narrowing. By narrowing your blood vessels, you restrict the flow down to your feet and legs.
Try to limit your intake of drinks like coffee, tea and energy drinks to see if you notice any changes in symptoms. If you’re an everyday drinker, quitting caffeine cold turkey isn’t the wisest plan because you’ll get withdrawal symptoms that will push you back into the bad habit. Start by weaning yourself off, until you stop the cravings entirely.
Exercise More!
Regular exercise is one of the best ways to improve circulation because it addresses the immediate issue of reduced blood flow, along with contributing problems like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Insert 30 minutes of physical activity into your daily routine. It could be something as simple as going for a walk or taking a short bike ride.
Get Better Shoes!
New orthopaedic shoes will not solve your circulation problems, but they will make it easier to deal with symptoms like foot pain, numbness and tingling. If you don’t want to get a new pair of shoes, you can get custom orthotics to insert into the pairs you already own.
Once you’ve managed to tackle the frustrating and painful sensations, you will want to look into the reason behind your poor circulation. It could simply be an unhealthy or sedentary lifestyle. In that case, these simple changes should drastically improve your circulation for the long-term.
If that’s not the case, you could have an underlying medical condition affecting your circulation like diabetes, Raynaud’s disease or blood clots. Talk to your doctor about the sensations in your feet, especially if they seem to be getting worse. You may need to make more changes than skipping your morning coffee and buying better footwear.