Hot flashes can seem worse at night because you as you’re trying to rest, you keep overheating which causes you to wake up. This can happen multiple times during the night, leading to feelings of insomnia and fatigue because you’re just not getting enough good sleep.
What are Hot Flashes?
Hot flashes are sudden bursts of intense heat, often felt in the chest, face, or neck, that can cause sweating and discomfort. They usually happen during menopause due to hormonal changes and can vary in intensity and last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes. They can be particularly annoying at night while trying to sleep.
Some women try to mitigate the daytime hot flashes by wearing layers during the worst of their symptoms. This way they can remove an outer sweater or blazer to get some quick relief. They can be so intense that some women will put their head under running water, or put ice cubes in their bra, to simply do anything to cool down FAST!
What Actually Happens When a Hot Flash is Coming On?
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The hypothalamus, which regulates temperature, becomes more sensitive to changes in body temperature due to hormonal fluctuations, such as a decrease in estrogen levels during menopause. This causes a sudden, rapid widening of blood vessels near the skin's surface leading to increased blood flow, warmth, and sweating. The body then cools down as a response to this heat surge, causing the characteristic feeling of a hot flash. If you’ve ever taken too much of the supplement niacin, and experienced the ‘flush of heat’, it is a very similar feeling to having a hot flash.
What Causes Hot Flashes at Night?
During sleep, the body's internal temperature regulation system, influenced by hormones like estrogen, is more sensitive. As your body cools down naturally while sleeping; the hypothalamus may misinterpret this as being too cold and trigger a hot flash in response.
Menopause can cause disturbances to your sleep, with difficulty falling or staying asleep. Your body temperature suddenly get too hot, it wakes you, and you scramble to throw off the covers and get some cool air on your body. Your bedding can be an attribute or a deterrent when you’re experiencing hot flashes. We have some bedding tips below that may greatly help you sleep better, despite the hot flashes!
At What Age Do Hot Flashes Start?
Hot flashes generally occur in women during perimenopause, which is the transition phase leading up to menopause. This typically starts around the ages of 45 to 55, although it can vary. On average, menopause occurs at age 51 in the U.S., and hot flashes can begin a few years before that, during perimenopause, and may last for 3-10 years after menopause. However, some women may experience them earlier or later. A common perception is women start menopause at generally the same time their mother did. Example, if you mother started as early as 42 or as late as 55, you may start around that age as well. You may have experienced this same phenomena with the beginning of your menstrual cycle being the same age your mother started hers.
Are Night Sweats Part of Hot Flashes?
One of the symptoms of menopause is hormonal fluctuations that can disrupt sleep patterns, causing hot flashes to happen during the night, leading to what’s known as "night sweats." The sudden increase in body temperature during sleep can interrupt rest, making it more noticeable. This can often lead to your bedding become wet and uncomfortable, and even needing to change the bedding during the night. If you suffer from night sweats, you may want to opt for moisture-wicking quick-evaporating Bamboo Bed Sheets as they have many qualities that can help you rest easier. You can also consult a doctor that is approved to treat hot flashes, they can review your hormone levels in the event there are supplements or medications that can ease your symptoms.
Do Hot Flashes Cause Insomnia?
Yes, hot flashes can cause insomnia. The intense heat and sweating that occur during a hot flash can disrupt sleep, especially when they happen at night (night sweats). The discomfort from the sudden warmth of your body temperature, followed by cooling and chills, can make it difficult for women to fall asleep or stay asleep. This can lead to frequent waking, interrupted sleep cycles, and poor sleep quality, which is a side effect of insomnia. Over time, disrupted sleep from hot flashes can also increase stress and make it harder to manage the symptoms, creating a cycle of sleep disturbances.
Hot flashes during the night can also leave you wrung out and tired all day. You may find that you need to take a nap or rest your head for a bit to try to regain some energy. Some women try some natural remedies to help sleep better, such as a Sleepy Time tea, lavender eye masks, a cooling pillow, or some hormone therapy of estrogen creams rubbed on their wrists before bed.
Hot Flash Relief - With BedVoyage Bamboo Sheets
When searching for ways to sleep more comfortably during menopause and mitigating hot flashes; one of your first options can be purchasing bedding that ASSISTS cooling vs bedding that makes your hot flashes worse!
BedVoyage Bamboo Sheets have many inherent qualities that can help you achieve a cooler, more comfortable night’s sleep. Waking refreshed instead of wet and rung out, simply slip into cool bamboo bed sheets every night! The incredible smooth and silky feel of the sheets against your skin is almost indescribable. They feel nothing like cotton sheets, your arms and legs glide effortlessly across the sheets, and when you need to find a cool spot, just move a few inches and cool right down!
Cool Sheets for Hot Flashes:
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Key Benefits of Bamboo Sheets for Menopausal and Perimenopausal Women
- Breathability: Bamboo’s moisture-wicking properties help regulate body temperature, reducing night sweats.
- Softness and Comfort: Bamboo sheets offer a luxurious, silky feel that enhances sleep quality and comfort.
- Hypoallergenic Properties: Bamboo is naturally resistant to allergens, making it a great choice for sensitive skin.
- Absorbency: Bamboo’s absorbent nature keeps moisture at bay, ensuring a dry and comfortable sleep environment.
- Temperature Regulation: Helps maintain an optimal body temperature, reducing the discomfort caused by hot flashes.
Bamboo is a Thermal Regulating Smart Fabric
Bamboo fibers have an inherent quality that allows heat to escape through the microscopic gaps and holes. We call it a Smart Fabric because it senses when you‘re overheating and releases the heat to help cool you down faster. If you can keep your body fairly regulated during sleep, with the help of bamboo sheets, you’ll have a more restful sleep cycle leading to better overall health and energy levels.
Would Bamboo Duvet Covers Help Cool Down as Well?
If the layers on your bed are too heavy or not breathable, then consider switching to a lightweight and cooling Bamboo Duvet Cover. It has that same fantastic cooling effect as the bamboo sheets, so your entire bedding can help keep you cooler. If a down insert is simply still too heavy, you can insert a lightweight blanket, or even use the duvet cover with no insert inside, especially in the summer.
BedVoyage Duvet Covers are made with the same incredibly silky-smooth fabric as the sheets, and the billowy lightweight fabric will add just enough weight to keep you from being chilled, but will not be heavy and overbearing during uncomfortable moments with hot flashes.
Sleep Better with Bamboo Sheets from BedVoyage!
When nighttime hot flashes and night sweats are keeping you from getting a good night’s sleep, you’d pay just about anything to be more comfortable, and wake refreshed. Luxury bamboo sheets are surprisingly more affordable than you might think! For the price of one nice dinner out, you could sleep for 7+ years every single night, in luxury bamboo bed sheets. We can’t guarantee that they’ll stop hot flashes, but what they will do is help you stay cooler, and because any moisture evaporates 3x faster on bamboo, you’ll sleep drier!
Sheets are not the only thing BedVoyage offers, so if you fall in love with the feel of bamboo, you can also find extra pillowcase sets, duvet covers, quilted coverlets, shams, towels, bath sheets, facial washcloths and robes! Luxuriate in the softness of bamboo, and you’ll never go back to ordinary cotton.
We truly hope that bamboo sheets offer you the Sweet Dreams that you deserve~
