Hot flushes and sleepless nights can put a dampener on summer days, but our advice can help
• Hormone changes during perimenopause and menopause affect the way your brain regulates body temperature
• Hot flushes, night sweats and other symptoms can impact your ability to get a good night’s sleep
• Practical advice on how to have a more comfortable night when the temperatures rise
If you’ve just had another night feeling too hot to sleep, or spent a sunny day in the grip of hot flushes or feeling irritable, then you may be wondering how you’ll get through summer when you’re perimenopausal or menopausal.
A Newson Health survey found 65% of perimenopausal and menopausal women are affected by hot flushes and night sweats, which are called vasomotor symptoms [1]. Body temperature is controlled by an area of your brain called the hypothalamus and when your hormone levels start to fluctuate and then fall, it can cause disruption in this area, which leads to hot flushes and night sweats. When the weather is hot, this causes further glitches in your hypothalamus, which means you are likely to have more night sweats and hot flushes – just when you least want them.
RELATED: Hot flushes explained
Hot summer days can mean long, warm nights that make sleep difficult, particularly if you are already coping with menopausal symptoms such as hot night sweats and fatigue. Your hormones oestradiol, progesterone and testosterone have important effects on your brain, including helping with the quality and duration of sleep. Low hormone levels can lead to fatigue, difficulty concentrating, headaches, weight gain, and mood changes, all symptoms that can be exacerbated by a lack of sleep.
Around 70% of menopausal women have genitourinary syndrome of the menopause (GSM) – this covers a range of symptoms, including an increase in the need to urinate and the urgency to do so [2]. Some women feel an increased need to get up in the night to use the toilet, which can further disturb sleep.
RELATED: Urinary incontinence in menopause: are you ignoring the symptoms?
Disturbed sleep pushes up production of the hormone cortisol, which can make you feel anxious and on edge and increase the number of hot flushes. A bad night’s sleep, as well as low hormone levels, can also disrupt the production of the hormone melatonin, which can also have a role in regulating the body’s temperature and may impact the number of hot flushes you have.
With all this in mind, it’s no wonder hot days can be troublesome but here are some top tips on keeping cool when the mercury rises.
1. Speak to a healthcare professional
If you’re experiencing perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, mood changes, disturbed sleep or urinary symptoms, speak to a healthcare professional about HRT, which is the first line treatment for perimenopause and menopause symptoms [1]. While it won’t be able to do anything about the temperature outside, HRT replaces hormones and eases symptoms that can contribute to keeping you awake at night, plus helps to protect your future health (for instance, there is some evidence that hot flushes and night sweats are linked to your future risk of heart disease [2]).
If you are already taking HRT but are still experiencing hot flushes and sweat, then the dose and type of HRT may need to be adjusted. Low testosterone levels can lead to flushes and sweats too so speak to your healthcare provider about optimising your hormone levels. There are other medical causes of hot flushes and sweats so if your symptoms are not improving despite treatment, see your healthcare provider.
2. Avoid the peak of the heat
Avoiding the hottest parts of the day not only protects your skin from sun damage, but another benefit is it reduces your hot flushes. As your body temperature rises, this leads to more glitches in your hypothalamus, which can increase the number of hot flushes and night sweats.
RELATED: 7 common sun protection mistakes – and how to avoid them
3. Wear loose, cool clothing
Clothes made from lightweight, natural fabric can help keep your temperature low and prevent your hypothalamus going into over-drive. Wearing lighter colours should help reflect, rather than absorb heat. Some women find fans, ice packs and flannels really helpful, and these can be simple and affordable ways of keeping cool.
4. Keep hydrated
If the weather is hot and you are having regular night sweats and hot flushes, you are going to lose water through sweat. This leaves you at higher risk of dehydration, which is important when you are menopausal as it can lead to a surge of adrenaline. Adrenaline, the so-called fight-or-flight hormone, further pushes up the number and intensity of your hot flushes. So drink plenty of cool water to keep hydrated and ward off spikes of adrenaline. You can use the free Balance app to track your water and food intake.
RELATED: How to keep hydrated during perimenopause and menopause
5. Consider cutting down on caffeine and alcohol
The evidence on whether alcoholic drinks contribute to hot flushes is mixed, anecdotally many women will say they find alcohol can be a trigger, so some stop drinking during perimenopause as they find it gives them hot flushes. Similarly, some women find caffeine can be a trigger and a study has found that caffeine intake is linked to vasomotor symptoms [3]. It is certainly worth avoiding alcohol and caffeine close to bedtime as both are stimulants that can disrupt your sleep cycle.
RELATED: Alcohol and the menopause: why cutting down can improve your menopause and overall health
6. Keep your bedroom cool
It’s much easier to get to sleep and stay asleep if you are on the cool side of comfortable rather than warm. However, that can be easier said than done on a sticky summer’s evening.
Keep your window open and have a fan on a low setting to help cool your room without being noisy enough to keep you awake. Bed coverings made from natural fabrics can help wick away any sweat. Some people swear by a lukewarm rather than cold shower shortly before bed, while others like to cool their sheets in the fridge. Whatever works for you, do it to keep things cool as you sleep.
7. Practice good sleep hygiene
Sleep hygiene refers to the routines and practices that promote good sleep. It’s about getting your mind and body into a favourable state for sleep, and making your bedroom the best possible environment to fall asleep in. This can include curbing time spent on mobiles and devices at the end of the day as blue light disrupts your brain’s natural sleep¬-wake cycles and keeping your room as dark as possible with blackout blinds or curtains.
8. Seek tips from those in the same boat
It can be reassuring to know you’re not alone in your experiences and within the Balance app, there is a helpful community full of women sharing tips and advice on what’s worked for them. For instance, Amanda says applying magnesium butter to her feet and legs 20 minutes before going to sleep has been a gamechanger, Leo swears that wearing a hat, even when just popping out to her car can make a difference. Camille has been praising the benefits of hot yoga for improving her mood and sleep, and KM7777 recommends wrapping an ice pack in something thin and popping it into her waistband of her shorts. Find more tips on Balance.
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