More than 8 in 10 (83%) women suffer from broken sleep due to menopause symptoms. This translates to an average of 219 disrupted nights a year during this time – and an incredible 657 hours of broken sleep in the first year of experiencing symptoms.
The biggest barrier preventing women from getting a decent night’s sleep was feeling too hot (68%), and incredibly, one in every 14 (7%) women will take a bag of frozen peas to bed while a third will strip-off completely to try and beat the heat.
Woolroom teamed up with TV presenter and menopause advocate, Louise Minchin, to launch its menopause and sleep campaign.
Louise Minchin, 54, who has spoken openly about the difficulties she faced with the menopause. “I suffered from night sweats, sometimes two to three times a night, and often five days a week. It’s a miracle that I was able to get up and do my job! The menopause had a very real impact on me, it was incredibly physical. I had heart palpitations, tinnitus, all sorts.”
She continues, “I remember an important interview with then Chancellor George Osbourne outside a JCB factory. I couldn’t say the letters JCB, it was deeply embarrassing. It was when it started affecting the way I did my job that I realised I had to get some help.”
Researchers also gathered testimonies from menopausal women who had taken unexpected steps to better their sleep. Among them:
- “I bought mini hot water bottles, filled them with water, froze them and then put them all over my body in bed. I once fell asleep with my feet in the freezer”
- “I’ve stopped cuddling my husband in bed. The body heat is unbearable. Now we have a king-size bed and sleep at separate ends”
- “I resorted to sleeping on the kitchen floor I was so hot.”
- Wearing wet socks and putting pillowcases in the freezer featured in numerous responses
Some (14%) will even abandon their bed in a bid to cool down – with one respondent admitting to attempting to sleep in a tent outside. One in 10 (8%) women will even turf their partner out into another room.
How to stop night sweats during menopause
Wondering how to stop night sweats during menopause? Here are some natural remedies for hot flushes and night sweats:
- Keep the room cool: Put a fan in your bedroom or leave windows open to keep your temperature down, the air flowing and reduce the symptoms of menopausal night sweats.
- Wear natural fibres: Make sure that you wear cotton rather than synthetic clothing to bed. Natural fibres are more breathable than synthetic alternatives, helping to keep you cooler as you sleep.
- Know your triggers: Spicy foods, caffeinated drinks (such as tea and coffee), and alcohol are all known to be triggers of menopause sweats. Try cutting these out before bed to see if it reduces the frequency or severity of your hot sweats.
- Opt for natural sheets: Just as cotton pyjamas are better than polyester at keeping you cool, 100% cotton sheets and duvet covers are more effective than synthetic alternatives. From sheets to duvet covers and pillowcases, aim for an all-natural sleep environment to help manage menopausal night sweats.
- Avoid memory foam: Memory foam relies on your body heat to make it work – a nightmare if you’re looking for menopause night sweats relief! Although, we’ve also put together some advice on sleeping with memory foam and night sweats, to help improve your quality of sleep if you already own a memory foam mattress.
- Choose light bedding: Ditch the heavy duvet in favour of lighter, cool bedding for menopause. Feeling the chill? Add a wool bed blanket on top which can be easily tossed aside when you get a little warmer.
- Sleep with wool bedding: There is surprisingly little said about this simple but effective solution – wool is a highly effective natural fibre when it comes to keeping you cool and absorbing moisture.
