How Can I Manage Night Sweats?

In the past few months, I have been experiencing night sweats, especially in the days leading up to my period. Some nights I wake up completely drenched. My pajamas and sheets are wet. Any recommendations for dealing with this? Are there pajamas or sheets that are better?

—Anonymous

There are few things more disruptive to a good night of sleep than waking at 3 a.m. wrapped in sopping wet pajamas and clammy sheets. By the time you get up, change, and figure out how to position yourself in bed to avoid damp bedding, you are wide awake, your mind spinning with all the to-dos and logistics of the coming day. Sleep becomes elusive.

Data suggests that sleep disruption in perimenopause is often coincident with night sweats. Hormone replacement and non-hormonal options such as Veozah can decrease the frequency of night sweats, but they may not eliminate them completely.

adult sitting in front of fan and hand on forehead — Getty Images / Canva

As you can imagine, there is no data to tell us how to minimize the impact of night sweats, but a few years into the late-reproductive stage, my friends and I have developed a few techniques.

Emily recommends keeping a towel next to your bed so that you can quickly and easily cover up the damp bottom sheet. I have definitely employed this tactic on a number of occasions.

My friend Lauren and I agree that pajamas with long pants are essential. The pants keep your legs from getting sweaty when they touch during sleep. Lauren swears by Eberjey Tencel pj’s. I prefer a crisp 100% cotton with short sleeves in the summer and long sleeves in the winter.

Keeping air moving with a fan can be helpful even in chilly winter months. And multiple layers of bedding are critical. On my bed I have percale sheets — key because they feel cool to the touch — a light, breathable blanket, and a down comforter. This way I can adjust my temperature with a flick of the wrist. Plus, it allows my husband to huddle under multiple layers when I have the thermostat set to refrigerator-like temperatures.