If you have trouble drifting off to sleep, you might want to try putting on a pair of socks and mittens before you go to bed.

Some Swiss researchers say that if your hands and feet are warmer, you might fall asleep faster.

The researchers say the body appears to prepare for sleep by widening the blood vessels in the hands and feet to help radiate body heat away. This blood vessel dilation in late evening is a key step in the sleep process, they say.

They recommend that people with chronically cold feet should try warming their feet with socks or a hot water bottle to ensure a good night's rest.

The researchers' findings appear in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature.