Menopause and Sleep: Why Your Body Runs Hot at Night

If you have started waking in the night suddenly and inexplicably hot, you are not imagining it, and you are not alone.

Hot flushes and night sweats are common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. The NHS describes night sweats as hot flushes that happen at night, and notes that sleep problems can be worse when night sweats are part of the picture. This guide explains what is happening, why it tends to show up at night, and what can make those nights easier.

What is happening

During perimenopause and menopause, changing hormone levels affect how your body regulates its temperature. A hot flush is a sudden feeling of heat, often in the face, neck and chest, sometimes with heavy sweating. When it happens during sleep, it is a night sweat.

It is not simply a warm bedroom or a heavy duvet, although both can make it worse. It is a change in how your body manages heat, and understanding that is a useful first step.

Why it often feels worse at night

Your body temperature naturally shifts in the evening as part of how it prepares for sleep, and you are under a duvet for hours at a time. A flush that would pass quickly during the day can wake you fully at night, leave the bed damp, and make it harder to settle again.

The NHS notes that perimenopause and menopause are different for everyone. Some people have few symptoms, others find nights disrupted for a long stretch.

What can help

There is no single fix, because the cause is hormonal. But several changes can make each night easier to manage:

• Keep the bedroom cool. The Sleep Charity suggests an ideal bedroom temperature of around 16 to 18°C.
• Layer lightly. A lighter duvet with a throw you can remove is easier to adjust in the night than one heavy duvet.
• Choose breathable bedding. A fabric that moves moisture away from the skin, rather than absorbing and holding it, keeps the bed drier after a flush.
• Watch the evening. Alcohol, caffeine and a late, heavy meal can all make a warm night warmer.
• Keep a spare set ready. A fresh set to hand makes a midweek change easy after a difficult night.

None of these will stop hot flushes. What they can do is make the bed a more comfortable place to be when they happen.

Where eucalyptus lyocell fits

Eucalyptus lyocell is the fabric we chose for The Sheets. The structure of the fibre carries heat away from the body, and it moves moisture away from the skin, so the surface stays cooler and drier through the night. No cooling treatments are applied, so there is nothing to wash out, and it washes at 30 degrees, which matters when you are changing sheets more often.

For a closer look at choosing bedding at this stage, see our guide to bedding for menopause night sweats.

How your area compares

We built the Sleep Disruption Map to show how sleep disruption varies across England, town by town, including a menopause-specific view. It exists because this experience is common, regional and rarely talked about with real data behind it.

When to speak to your GP

If you think you have perimenopause or menopause symptoms and want to know your options, speak to your GP. They can talk you through treatments, including hormone replacement therapy. Persistent or drenching night sweats are worth raising with your GP, as are night sweats that come with other symptoms such as fever or unexplained weight loss.

Questions Dreamers ask

Can bedding help with menopause night sweats?

Bedding cannot change the hormonal cause. What it can do is affect how much moisture sits against your skin and how the bed feels after a flush. A breathable fabric that moves moisture away from the skin keeps the surface drier.

Why are night sweats worse at night than hot flushes in the day?

At night you are asleep, under a duvet, for hours at a time. A flush that would pass quickly in the day can wake you fully, leave the bed damp and make it harder to settle again.

How long does perimenopause affect sleep?

It varies a great deal. The NHS notes that perimenopause and menopause are different for everyone, and that symptoms can last for several years.

Should I see a GP about night sweats?

Yes, if you want to know your options, or if night sweats are persistent, drenching or come with other symptoms such as fever or unexplained weight loss. Your GP can talk you through treatments, including hormone replacement therapy.

Is eucalyptus lyocell the same as bamboo?

No. Eucalyptus lyocell is made in a closed-loop process that recovers up to 99% of the water and solvents used. Most bamboo bedding is bamboo viscose, a different process. Our honest comparison of eucalyptus and bamboo sheets explains more.

Read next: bedding for menopause night sweats