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Article Series: Menopause
Menopause Symptoms and Relief
Menopausal
Night Sweats: How to Cool Off
Night
sweats are a common symptom of menopause, traveling hand-in-hand
with the dreaded hot flashes. Often keeping their victims
from achieving a good night’s rest, night sweats can quickly
trigger a domino effect by raising stress levels and irritability.
So how does one combat these pesky nighttime visitors? Is
there any way of fighting off the demons known as night sweats?
While there is no cure and no sure-fire way of sending the
night sweats into permanent cool-down, there are steps that
can be taken to make them more bearable.
Night sweats are caused by the abnormal
fluctuations of hormones in a woman’s body, usually caused by the onset of menopause
(though other conditions can cause them, so it is always best
to discuss this with your doctor). Much like the hot flashes
that a woman may experience during the day, night sweats are
a very unsettling and uncomfortable condition that can often
keep their victims from sleep, sometimes for nights on end.
While it was originally thought to be anxiety-related and mostly
in their heads, more recent studies have discovered that a
woman’s body actually raises anywhere from 1-7 degrees during
a hot flash. It is true that anxiety can accompany, or even
follow, night sweats but it is most definitely not the sole
cause for this condition.
If you’re suffering from this condition, the first step is
to look at your sleeping arrangements. A woman who is experiencing
night sweats should seek the comfort of sleeping in a well-ventilated
cool (preferably air conditioned) room, especially during the
heat of the summer months. Sleeping in a room that is more
open and airy will also help to reduce feelings of confinement
and anxiety upon waking. It’s also highly recommended that
your bedroom be decorated in a soothing and calming aesthetic
fashion. ‘Cool’ scents, such as melon or other citrus are helpful,
avoiding ‘warm’ scents such as vanilla or spice. New products
that add calming scents, inspired by nature such as rain, can
also be very soothing to the senses.
Soft
cotton sheets are highly recommended and your own sleeping
clothes should be made of cotton as well. The reason for this
is simple; cotton breathes and will help to make you feel cooler.
Loose and non-constrictive clothing is also highly recommended
and, if possible, dress in layers so that, if you need to,
you can peel some off and help yourself feel cooler.
Before you go to bed at night, try sipping a cool beverage
to help hydrate your system and assist in cooling yourself
down. Another good idea is to keep a small glass of ice water
on your bedside table so that, should you awaken in the night,
it’s within easy reach. Sometimes, the best way to go back
to sleep is to move around as little as possible.
You’ve probably heard this one before but, if you’re still
doing it, it bears mentioning again - Don’t smoke and, if you
do, don’t quit quitting. Studies have shown that smoking is
linked to an earlier onset of menopause and that it also increases
the chances of your experiencing hot flashes and night sweats.
Quitting smoking not only will help to make you more comfortable
while you sleep, but it also helps to protect you from more
serious conditions, such as heart disease and cancer.
Maintaining a healthy
lifestyle is also important. Exercise
is wonderful for the menopausal woman, not only because it
helps to keep the metabolism up and moving, but also because
it is a good way of relaxing the body and it gives you something
to focus upon. Whether you choose to walk for 30 minutes a
day, run on a treadmill, or work out to your favorite fat-burning
television program, you can’t go wrong with exercise, so long
as you do so in moderation. Also, before you do start any type
of exercise program, check with your doctor and make sure that
he gives you the thumbs up; you never know, he may even have
some good suggestions to help you keep in shape.
Diet is also important to take into consideration; hot and
spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol, chocolate and some dairy products
(particularly aged cheeses) have been known to aggravate night
sweats. To help keep your dinners from interrupting your sleep,
you should eat a diet that is high in fiber, low in fat and
low in cholesterol. Also, be sure to drink plenty of water
and vitamin D milk - calcium is very important in lessening
the chances of osteoarthritis and bone fractures.
Taking these steps should help to lessen the frustrations
of night sweats but, if they do not, be sure to discuss this
with your doctor. While the natural method is always bests,
medications are available that may be able to help lessen the
discomfort of night sweats and menopause.
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by SolveYourProblem.com
: 2006
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