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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2011
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
HEALTH
GOOD FOR YOU, BAD FOR YOU// Sometimes it's hard to tell. WEARING SOCKS TO BED
Kayleen Lindstrom, a freshman from St. Charles, Mo., layers her clothing before going to sleep when it's cold outside, wearing pants, long-sleeves and tall socks. She says she cold easily during the night, so she wears socks because when her toes are warm, so is the rest of her body. "I love socks," Lindstrom says. "I have a drawer in my dorm dedicated to socks."
Wearing socks on cold feet to bed has benefits such as helping you sleep better and increasing your blood circulation, says Ted King, doctor and National Medical Director of Vein Clinics of America. "If my feet are cold, I'm probably not going to fall asleep near as quickly as when my feet are hot," King says.
Though there's no danger if your feet get hot from wearing socks, but you may lose sleep because the heat will wake you up more often. Your body always generates the same amount of heat whether you wear socks or not, remaining at 98.6 degrees, unless you have a fever. "You don't really have the potential of causing any type of heat damage or thermal injury if you're a diabetic with loss of sensation and wearing socks," King says.
Tall socks are OK to wear even if they feel slightly tight because they aren't applying any significant amount of pressure. Wearing tall, tight socks may make your feet feel better at the end of the day because the pressure increases circulation, which can help your legs feel less tired, less heavy and have less swelling. King says. "I don't know of any good reason why somebody should be concerned about wearing a sock if they want to," he says.
Verdict: Good for you, especially tall socks.
KYLIE NUTT
Photo by Kylie Nutt Toasty Toes: Wearing socks to bed keeps your feet warm while you sleep without causing any health problems.
THAT'S DISGUSTING // GAS PUMP HANDLES
> If you're going to do it, be smart.
Photo by Bre Roach Fuel Up On Germs! One study shows that gas pump handles are breeding grounds for bacteria.
The bathroom floor, toilet seat and door knobs all have one thing in common: germs. We're taught to wash our hands before we leave the restroom and to open the door with our elbows as we exit, but what advice are we given for other surfaces that we touch daily?
New evidence shows gas station handles are the filthiest things to touch, and it makes sense. Kimberly-Clark Professional had a team of hygienists swab hundreds of surfaces in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Miami and Dallas to find the filthiest, and gas pumps were the top offender. Alina Selyukh, reporter for Reuters, noted that the researchers tested surfaces for levels of adenosine triphosphate, which "signals the presence of animal, vegetable, bacteria, yeast or mold cells, and the high levels found suggest they can be transmitting illness."
People commute every day and commuting requires gas, so they stop to fill up and grab the handle after petting their dog riding in the passenger seat or cleaning up their baby's puke from the backseat.
Driving to class only increases the chances of touching these disgusting handles more. Rachel Burton, a senior from Topeka, drives to class, requiring her to fill up every two days. "I usually grab it with my sleeve," Burton says.
One possible fix? Perhaps latex gloves could be provided next to the windshield washing mixture beside the trash cans.
BRE ROACH
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