Night Sweats - a menopause menace

Night Sweats and Hot Flushes 

Hot flushes and night sweats can become very debilitating, they are embarrassing when they happen during the day and can lead to a lack of sleep if you are constantly waking up - potentially having to change the bed sheets too. 

 Around 75% of women notice hot flushes or

night sweats at some time - for some women they may last 7-10 years

and can continue after the menopause too. 

These hot flushes ( in the US they are called Hot Flashes) and Night Sweats occur in the peri to menopause years but they may also occur to someone who has a surgical menopause when they are younger or as a result of taking some drugs, for instance Tamoxifen which blocks Oestrogen.  

Fluctuations in our Oestrogen levels mean that the temperature control centre in our brain, the hypothalamus, is incredibly sensitive. 

Just a couple of degrees change in your internal body temperature, which should be somewhere from 37oC - 37.8oC, and your brain goes into overdrive trying to get it back to normal. 

First you feel incredibly hot, and then it tries to cool you down by sweating - hence you wake up in a damp sweaty mess. 

So why does this happen? 

There are several theories around this - but not one definitive answer. 

• Declining Oestrogen is known to affect the temperature control centre in your brain. 

• Studies in the US have shown that increased stress, or an increased perception of stress, increases the likelihood of night sweats and hot flushes, as does alcohol, obesity and smoking.  

• There is a link between the nutrition of a traditional western diet, and that of women who live in the East who regularly consume greater amounts of phyto-oestrogens - such as Soya. 

• There are also some diseases - such as thyroid dysfunction which may show symptoms similar to those found in the menopause. 

So what can you do to alleviate your Night Sweats and Hot Flushes? 

It is important for you to have a clear idea of when these occur, is there a link between something you are doing, eating or drinking, and the frequency and severity of hot flushes?

Try keeping a diary for a week and note down every hot flush you have. 

Once you have done this you might notice a pattern, a girls night out with lots of booze and spicy foods, a period of intense stress looking after family or at work?

You might even notice that what you are wearing makes a difference. 

Hot flushes may be triggered by 

• Alcohol

• Caffeine

• Spicy foods

• Dehydration

• Smoking

• Stress

• Obesity 

STRESS PLAYS A HUGE PART !

How can you reduce them:

• Try to find ways things that help to reduce your stress levels 

  • Regular exercise

  • Spend 20 minutes every day outside - preferably in a green space.

  • Yoga, Thai chi, or other gentle exercise

  • Orgasm - yes really!

• Avoid your triggers 

• Include some plant based phyto-oestrogens in your food 

• Some supplements MAY help - Sage Leaf tablets

• HRT will almost definitely help but not everyone can or wants to take it. 

If you found this information helpful and you’d like to learn more about this stage of your life - download my FREE video series by clicking on the button below.