Why Your Feet Are Cold & Sweaty

Person wearing socks and flip flops

Causes of Cold, Sweaty Feet & How to Keep Them Warm

Why do penguins never get married?

They always get cold feet!

Ba Dum Tss

Got clammy feet? In most cases, cold feet are a normal occurrence, but they can also be related to several medical conditions. If your cold feet happen to sweat a lot, too, you might have a condition called plantar hyperhidrosis.

By learning more about the causes and treatments for cold, sweaty feet as well as wearing moisture wicking socks for cold feet like FLAT SOCKS®, you can better address your symptoms and keep your feet comfortable and dry.

Grey canvas shoes with FLAT SOCKS sock insert inside

Why are my feet cold and sweaty?

Cold feet are your body’s normal response to temperatures dropping, especially in cooler climates or during winter. As a natural way of regulating temperature, your body keeps blood flowing to your core to keep vital organs warm by constricting blood vessels in your hands and feet, making them feel colder.

Ever wonder why your feet are cold but sweating, too? Sweat can make your feet feel colder even when it’s not cold outside. When sweat evaporates quickly, it cools the feet and makes them feel cold. People with excessively sweaty feet, or plantar hyperhidrosis, may often have cold feet, too.

If you happen to sweat too much, then having cold, sweaty feet might be a problem affecting your daily life, leading to discomfort or embarrassment. As you struggle to keep your feet dry, sweaty feet can also cause bacteria to grow, leading to smelly shoes or athlete’s foot.

Causes of Cold, Sweaty Feet

Cold feet are usually temporary. However, some people have chronically cold feet that may be associated with medical conditions or underlying diseases. It’s important to talk to your healthcare provider if your feet are constantly cold to the point of discomfort or even pain.

Some of the most common causes of cold and sweaty feet include:

  • Anxiety or stress disorders that make you sweat
  • Wearing shoes that are too cramped or not breathable
  • Side effects to certain medications
  • Poor blood circulation
  • Autoimmune conditions and deficiencies like anemia
  • Hormonal imbalances like menopause
  • An overactive thyroid that can mess with circulation, deregulate metabolism, and throw off hormones
  • Neuropathy, which can cause excess sweating and body temperature changes in diabetics
  • Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), which causes reduced blood flow to the arms and legs
  • Raynaud’s Syndrome, which happens when blood vessels in the hands and feet overreact to cold temperatures 

Hot compress on cold feet

Other Symptoms Related to Cold Feet

Depending on the cause of your cold feet, you might experience other symptoms which may or may not be related to a medical condition. Discomfort like mild pain, tingling, or numbness as well as difficulty warming your feet could indicate an underlying problem and should be addressed by a medical doctor.

Feeling anxious can easily trigger the body to start sweating, especially in response to a fear or stress inducing event. When you feel stressed, your heart rate and body temperature increase, causing you to feel hot. This releases stress hormones that activate your sweat glands, increasing the rate of perspiration in your armpits, hands, feet, and other areas of the body to keep you cool.

People with anxiety disorders might experience problems with sweating more often, which could lead to more feelings of worry or embarrassment over frequent sweating. The sweat cools and evaporates, making your feet feel cold and clammy, and the cycle continues the more you sweat. Thankfully, moisture wicking sock inserts like FLAT SOCKS can help you manage your cold, sweaty feet.

Pair of slippers with floral FLAT SOCKS inside

How to Stop Cold and Sweaty Feet

Do you find yourself peeling off each pair of socks like popsicle wrappers? Ugh, we know. Gross, right? It doesn’t have to be. FLAT SOCKS are the best socks for sweaty feet, and they help keep your feet warm, too, by wicking away moisture to prevent that soggy feeling.

Our microwool socks offer breathable comfort and softness underfoot in classic colors like light heather grey and forest green. For the perfect sock for cold weather, faux fur socks keep your feet warm and dry in Toms®, HeyDude™ shoes, and even your favorite pair of winter boots.

Man placing grey faux fur sock insert in purple shoe

FLAT SOCKS mesh sock inserts have a cushy feel that absorbs sweat and odor for feet that stay cool (but not cold), comfortable, and fresh. Plus, they come in tons of patterns, so you don’t have to sacrifice your personal style. Wear them in your boots, shoes, or slippers. Does your child suffer from cold, sweaty feet? Shop FLAT SOCKS Kids to keep their toes warm and dry!

Kid placing kid’s sock insert into white shoe

Foot hygiene is essential in keeping feet that sweat too much healthy. Wash and dry your feet daily and completely. You should also allow your feet to breathe when you’re able to, such as not wearing shoes in the house. FLAT SOCKS shoe inserts are machine washable, too, so you can keep them clean like normal socks.

Foot deodorants like creams and sprays can help prevent foot sweat at night by temporarily blocking your sweat glands, though you must wash it off first thing in the morning. Healthcare providers may prescribe antidepressants or nerve blocks if they believe your clammy feet are related to anxiety or a nerve condition.

FLAT SOCKS: The Best Socks for Cold, Sweaty Feet

Don’t get cold feet about taking off your socks. Excess sweat from stress, anxiety, and certain medical conditions like hyperhidrosis could be the reason why your feet are sweating but are cold, too. FLAT SOCKS are the sockless shoe inserts that go inside your shoe, not on your feet, and have moisture-wicking tech built in to reduce the sweat and keep your feet from feeling cold, too.

FLAT SOCKS does not diagnose or prescribe treatment for any type of medical condition. This article is for informational purposes only. Always contact your physician or healthcare provider for medical advice.

FLAT SOCKS is not affiliated with Toms®, HeyDude™, or any other shoe manufacturer. Reference and trademarks used above are examples of shoe types that FLAT SOCKS are designed to work with.

References:

Reese, D. (2022, September 11). Why Are Your Feet Cold? WebMD.

Cold Feet Causes & Treatment. (2022, May 19). Cleveland Clinic.

Causes of Cold and Sweaty Feet. (2022, September 12). Feet First Clinic.

Santos-Longhurst, A. (2019, February 26). Stress Sweat: Why It Smells Different and How to Manage It. Healthline.