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Cricketing your feet is a self-relaxing habit that results in the release of feel-good hormones that help reduce stress levels.
Cricketing is a quirky self-soothing habit of rubbing your toes together in bed.
Social media has never failed to fascinate viewers online. From the bed-rotting trend to taping the mouth up before hitting the hay, every time there is a new trend doing the rounds on the internet, it grabs huge traction on social media. Cricketing is now the new bedtime habit that has left viewers surprised. You must be wondering what is cricketing? Then let us delve deep into this viral trend. Well, cricketing is basically a quirky self-soothing habit of rubbing your toes together that can actually help you fall asleep. What’s most surprisingexactly is that many of us already do without realising it and there’s a scientific reason why it works.
If you are a TikTok user, you must have come across the viral video that has already mustered over 69 billion views. The term cricket feet is something that is a little bit relatable to the general public.
According to Ladbible, TikTokers have been dumbfounded to learn that they are not the only ones doing this before bed.
A TikTok user commented, “That’s what it’s called? I have always done it. Never realized it was so common.” Another shared, “I can’t help but do this at night. I try to stop myself but I just can’t help it.” “I have done this since I was a baby. I would just say that I like to wiggle my feet but I didn’t know it was a thing that meant something,” expressed a user.
However, according to Dr Eileen Li, a licenced acupuncturist and physical therapist, there’s a scientific reason why people find ‘cricketing’ so soothing. Dr Eileen Li told Bustle that feet comprise a lot of acupressure points as well as nerve endings that help to calm your central nervous system (CNS) when stimulated.
Dr Li further explained, “Foot rubbing or foot massage is a form of relaxation and stress relief that can help improve blood circulation, provide a sense of well-being and comfort and alleviate tension. Cricketing your feet also results in the release of feel-good hormones that help reduce stress levels.”
Elaborating further, Dr Li stated that there are two key acupressure points on your feet related to relaxation. The first is called Liver 3, which is situated between your first two toes at the top of your foot. You often, coincidentally, happen to massage this acupressure point while cricketing.
The next is called Kidney 1, which is under the ball of your foot, situated between your second and third toes in a depression that is too involved in the motion.
It is worth a shot before sleeping to relax and release some feel-good hormones.