This one foot duvet hack is scientifically-proven to help you sleep – and you’re probably doing it already!

I’ve tried many sleep hacks in my time as T3’s Home Editor and resident sleep expert. From trying the military sleep method to drinking the Sleepy Girl mocktail, I’ve tried it all, and can give a definitive ruling over which sleep tricks actually work and which ones you can forget about.

But I recently found out that I’ve been unconsciously doing one of the best sleep tricks around – and you probably have too. If you’ve ever found yourself sticking a foot out of your duvet when you sleep, you’re actually setting yourself up for a great night’s sleep – and it’s scientifically proven!

According to Natalie Pennicotte-Collier, sleep expert at Mattress Next Day, sleeping with one foot outside of your duvet, especially on a hot night, is one of the few popular sleep hacks backed by science. She explains that it’s because “your body needs to drop its core temperature by one to two degrees to initiate and maintain healthy cycles of sleep.”

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One of the easiest ways to cool your body is to cool the room itself. While it goes against our instincts – and as someone who’s always freezing, it really goes against mine – sleeping in a cold room is actually better for you. Similar to popping one leg out of your bed, the colder temperatures have been found to help you fall asleep faster, reduce your stress levels, and even improve your mood.

However, if (like me) sleeping in a cold room appalls you, it turns out your feet could be the answer – which is why the ‘one foot out the bed’ trick works so well. As Pennicotte-Collier states, “this is because the feet are one of the body’s key heat-release points. By exposing them to cooler air, you can encourage heat to escape more efficiently, helping to lower your core body temperature and support the natural process of falling asleep.”

So, keeping your feet slightly cooler than the rest of your body can have a positive impact on your sleep quality and quantity. With the upcoming summer season and heatwaves, sleeping with one foot outside your duvet is a quick, easy (and free!) trick to help regulate your temperature while trying to sleep through the higher temperatures.

If the heat is still keeping you awake though, try these 7 tips for sleeping in a heatwave, or upgrade to a cooling mattress pad.