3 Natural Remedies for Night Sweats

Night sweats, known medically as “sleep hyperhidrosis,” affect about 3 percent of the population. They can indicate a serious medical condition, although most night sweats aren’t life-threatening. However, you should consult with a doctor to determine the underlying cause, which can include hormonal imbalances, environmental factors and the side effects of certain medications. There are many natural remedies for night sweats that don’t require the use of prescription medication. These treatments can be classified into preventative and management techniques, including cooling, lifestyle changes and alternative medicine.

COOLING

The best method for preventing night sweats is to simply reduce the temperature of your bedroom, especially while you’re asleep. A temperature that feels completely comfortable during the day will be too hot at night because your basic metabolic rate (BMR) drops when you’re asleep. For example, the optimum temperature for most people is above 70 degrees Fahrenheit while awake, but the temperature of your bedroom should be about 65 degrees when you’re trying to sleep. Lowering your thermostat setting at night should therefore become part of your bedtime routine.

Choosing the right bedding can also help with night sweats. Many types of fabric trap sweat, which initially raises your body temperature. Once this moisture cools, however, it can cause chills. The best bedsheets for night sweats allow sweat to wick away instead of absorbing it, keeping you cooler and drier at night. PeachSkinSheets are made of poly fiber that has strands that are finer than silk, which makes it moisture wicking and very breathable.

Also avoid using a heavy comforter unless you’re sure you’ll need it. Instead, keep a blanket handy to accommodate differences in preferences between sleeping partners. Memory foam pillows may feel good, but they can also make you hot, so they should be used with caution.

A warm bath before bed can also help prevent night sweats. This tip may seem counterintuitive, but it will actually cool you down as the water evaporates. You can also apply a cold compress to an area of your body that seems particularly warm. It’s important to sleep in multiple layers of thin, loose clothing as well, rather than a single thick piece. This strategy allows you to easily remove a layer of clothing if you start getting too hot.

LIFESTYLE CHANGES

Lifestyle changes involve some of the simplest, most effective steps for managing night sweats. These changes generally have the lowest cost and risk, but require a lot of determination. They can also reduce the severity of your night sweats, but they won’t treat the underlying causes of night sweats like the hormonal imbalance that occurs in post-menopausal women. Lifestyle changes involve the implementation of methods that avoid the triggers for night sweats, and also improve your overall health.

Trigger avoidance methods include abstaining from alcohol, caffeine and spicy foods, all of which can cause you to sweat. You should also avoid eating two to three hours before going to bed, especially hot food. Relaxation exercises before bed can be helpful for managing night sweats.

A healthy lifestyle can help manage your night sweats by keeping your body temperature well regulated. These measures include eating a diet that’s low in fat and sugar in addition to drinking plenty of water. It’s important to maintain a healthy weight, since extra fat increases sweating. A daily vitamin E intake of at least 800mg can also help control sweating. However, you should watch your intake of vitamin B-3, also known as niacin, which causes flushing. Flushing doesn’t last long, but it can be intense. Stress relief, which can include meditation and yoga, is also an effective method for managing night sweats.

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

Alternative treatments are also available for managing night sweats. These methods are primarily herbal remedies, but they also include aromatherapy and various types of massage. These can all be helpful in managing night sweats, but only herbal remedies can treat the underlying causes of night sweats. Herbal remedies largely focus on treating night sweats as a symptom of menopause and usually carry little risk. They can generally be classified into phytoestrogens and hormone regulators.

Phytoestrogens are plant-based hormones that are chemically similar to estrogen. Popular phytoestrogens include hops, dong quai, licorice root, red clover and soy protein. The introduction of phytoestrogens can increase estrogen levels, which in turn can cause night sweats. The greatest risk of long-term use of phytoestrogens is they can cause the body to become less able to produce its own estrogen, resulting in an overall reduction in estrogen.

Hormone-regulating herbs don’t contain phytoestrogens, but they do promote the production of natural hormones in various ways. These herbs nourish the endocrine system or specific glands that secrete hormones. This mechanism helps these systems increase their production rate of estrogen and other sex hormones like progesterone and testosterone, thus alleviating night sweats and other symptoms of menopause. Many hormone-regulating herbs are considered safe and effective for this purpose. Popular supplements of this type include black cohosh, chaste tree berries, maca root, licorice root and motherwort.

TRY MOISTURE WICKING SHEETS

Many people suffer from night sweats due to a long list of causes, which include a bedroom that’s too hot, stress, hormonal imbalances and other underlying medical conditions. A variety of safe, effective remedies are available, which include cooling techniques, lifestyle changes and herbal remedies. Sheets that wick moisture away instead of absorbing it are one of the most effective natural remedies for managing night sweats.

PeachSkinSheets offers the best bedsheets for night sweats, which regulate body temperature to keep warm sleepers cool and cool sleepers warm. Our sheets are made of high-performance poly fiber that is moisture wicking and also provides the softness level of 1500 threads per square inch. PeachSkinSheets are also hypoallergenic and free of pesticides, unlike natural fabrics such as cotton. Try moisture wicking PeachSkinSheets to start managing your night sweats right away - you’ll be glad you did!