Battling the Night Sweat Nightmare
It’s 2:00 in the morning. You’ve been sleeping for hours, but now you’re wide awake with the back of your head soaked in sweat, uncomfortably hot all over, even your fingers are tingling, and your 
husband seems to be sleeping soundly next to you barely stirring as you sit up in misery. You know this feeling all too well, — it’s a hot flash, night sweats, a personal summer, an irritating nuisance of menopause you just want to stop! Unfortunately, no one really understands exactly what causes night sweats as menopause approaches, and it seems that just a reduction of estrogen alone does not fully explain the condition. Some women go through menopause without experiencing night sweats at all, others have minor symptoms and for others still it is a pure nightmare resulting in prolonged insomnia and extreme daytime irritability.
The good news is that there are a few natural ways to help deal with night sweats, and many of them begin with daytime lifestyle habits. Women who are overweight, who smoke and who do not exercise tend to experience night sweats more strongly than others. So, losing weight, quitting smoking and participating in a daily exercise routine can help reduce night sweat symptoms, but there are other ways to help you cool off, too.
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- Ice Water: Keep a glass or thermos of ice water on your nightstand. Drinking ice water can help you cool down your core body temperature when you awake in night sweats.
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- Breathable Fabric: Wear cotton or wicking fabrics to help you stay cool and regulate your body temperature as you sleep.
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- Bedding: You might want to avoid body contouring mattresses and pillows. While they may be great for comfort, they also absorb and maintain heat. Consider using feather or fiber filled pillows and a regular pillow top mattress. A cotton mattress pad with high thread count cotton sheets can also help to regulate body temperature and keep you cooler during the night. Some hotels even add an extra flat sheet under the top sheet to further the redistribution of heat while you sleep, claiming to add to a comfortable, restful sleeping experience.
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- Warm Shower: While it may sound counter-intuitive to take a warm shower when you’d like to cool off, your body temperature tends to drop following a warm shower, which can help you rest. However, feel free to take a cold shower instead, if you’re so inclined.
If these simple changes to lifestyle and sleep hygiene don’t seem to be enough to give you relief for a restful night, do seek out advice from your doctor or herbalist. There are several natural remedies in the form of herbs and supplements that many have found to be highly effective in combating night sweats.
For more information on all natural support for menopause symptoms, please click here: Menopause Formulas