'Cricketing' is bizarre movement you can do in bed that will help you fall asleep quicker

There is nothing better on Earth than to be in bed, getting ready to snore off into the deep world of sleep.

But if you’re someone who struggles to get into that headspace, there’s one thing that might help you.

Have you ever heard of cricket feet?

This is something that has taken the internet by storm, mainly TikTok.

Cricket feet has become known as a quirky little self-soothing technique to help even the worst insomniac right to dreamland.

Apparently, according to science, there’s a reason for this.

As it happens, the feet are full of nerve endings and acupressure points which makes it the most relaxing feeling when stimulated.

That makes sense, right? Feet massages are gold!

According to Dr. Eileen Li, PT, DPT, L.Ac, a licensed acupuncturist, Chinese herbalist, and physical therapist, stimulating your feet helps you to self-regulate and calm your central nervous system.

Basically, cricket feet are the epitome of sleep-inducing relaxation.

TikTokers were obviously onto this trend way before anyone else, with user @notyouraversagethrpst posting her cricket feet in action.

One person in her comments wrote: “I’m in shock seeing all these people doing this. I didn’t know it had a name. Been doing it my whole life.”

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Another wrote: “I’m doing it right now”.

Someone else said: “It’s the only way I can fall asleep.”

Though this trend has been strongly linked to stimming behaviours by neurodivergent people, apparently anyone can have the tendency to cricket feet.

Here’s why it’s so soothing.

Dr Li told Bustle: “Foot rubbing, also known as foot massage, is a form of relaxation and stress relief.”

“It can help alleviate tension, improve blood circulation, and provide a sense of comfort and well-being.”

This type of self-soothing habit helps to release feel-good hormones that alleviate stress, according to Li.

If you’re someone who is neurodivergent, your reasoning for cricketing might be slightly different, but the effects are the same.

For example, it might be ‘serving as a form of sensory input that is soothing', according to Dr Lauren Kerwin, a clinical psychologist.

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Speaking to Well and Good, she explained that stimming is any behaviour that involves repetition, so tapping a pen on a desk, bouncing a knee or cricket feet can all be stimming behaviours used to help alleviate sensitivities to stimuli or other sensory processing issues.

This is because it can help to distract from overwhelming stimulation, such as loud noises or overlapping noises.

It can even help people to concentrate.

She said: "Those who cricket while they fall asleep, which is common, do so often to improve their sensory processing of their body lying down."

So, if you get in there with your hands before bed and massage your feet, you might be doing yourself and your nervous system a favour.

If you’re looking for a new wellness fad to get into, why not try something that’s been proven to work?

Topics: TikTok, News, Science, Sleep, Social media

Britt Jones