# Night sweats during menopause · Midlife Nights > Source: https://midlifenights.com/topics/night-sweats ## Night sweats Waking soaked: what counts, the signs that point away from menopause, what helps at night and when to see a doctor. * [All topics](/topics) * [Every article](/articles) [ Hot flashes at night Why the heat arrives once the lights are off, how long one episode lasts, and what the health services suggest trying first. ](/topics/hot-flashes-at-night) [ Insomnia and 3am waking Trouble falling asleep, waking at 4am with no way back to sleep, and the habits the National Institute on Aging suggests. ](/topics/insomnia-and-3am-waking) [ A cooler bedroom Room temperature, layered bedding, a fan, what to wear to bed and the evening habits that make hot nights easier. ](/topics/a-cooler-bedroom) [ Tracking and your doctor Keeping a simple record of your nights and bringing it to your next appointment, so the conversation starts from facts. ](/topics/tracking-and-your-doctor) What the sources say ### Night sweats, in plain terms Most people sweat a little in the night. The [NHS](https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/night-sweats/) draws the line at sweating so much that your night clothes and bedding are soaking wet even though the room is cool. In midlife, menopause is one of the most common reasons for it, and [ACOG](https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/the-menopause-years) describes night sweats as hot flashes that happen while you sleep, often enough to wake you and leave you tired and sluggish the next day. ### Night sweats that may not be menopause Sweating at night in your forties or fifties is easy to put down to hormones, and often that is right. The NHS still asks you to see a GP if any of these apply: * the sweats are regular and they wake you up or worry you * you also have a high temperature, a cough or diarrhoea * you are losing weight without trying Those signs point away from menopause and deserve a proper check. The same NHS page lists other causes of night sweats: * some medicines, including certain antidepressants, steroids and painkillers * anxiety * low blood sugar * alcohol or drugs * hyperhidrosis, a harmless condition where you sweat too much If the sweating began around the time you started a new medicine, tell your doctor. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own: a GP can look at whether a different one would suit you better. ### What helps at night The [National Institute on Aging](https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/menopause/hot-flashes-what-can-i-do) suggests noting what seems to set off a hot flash and how much it bothers you, then working on the room and the evening. Its list for nights includes a lower bedroom temperature, a fan, a few sips of cold water before bed, bedding in layers you can push off, and nightwear in layers too. It also suggests cutting back on alcohol, spicy food and caffeine, and quitting smoking. The [NHS self-help page](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause-and-perimenopause/things-you-can-do/) adds a cool shower, a cold drink and avoiding hot drinks, and says cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help with hot flushes and sleep problems. Sleep is worth working on in its own right. The NIA notes that [waking may itself trigger a hot flash](https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/menopause/sleep-problems-and-menopause-what-can-i-do), so a steadier night can mean fewer sweats as well as more rest. Our [bedroom checklist](/articles/bedroom-checklist-for-hot-nights-tick-what-you-have-tried) lists these steps one line at a time so you can mark what you have already tried. For medical treatment, talk to your doctor: this site does not give treatment advice. ### Cooling bedding: features to look for Neither the NHS nor the NIA names a fabric or a brand, so treat any claim that one sheet ends night sweats with caution. What their advice does point to is a bed you can adjust in the dark: * a few thin layers instead of one heavy duvet, so you can drop one without waking fully * a lighter duvet for summer, kept separate from the winter one * light nightwear, ideally in layers you can take off * covers and pillowcases that go in the wash easily, since soaked bedding needs changing often * a spare top sheet or nightshirt within reach, so a damp one can be swapped without stripping the bed A fan by the bed and a glass of cold water on the nightstand cost little and are both on the NIA list. ### Keeping track A record makes a GP appointment shorter and clearer. Our [night diary](/articles/printable-night-diary-for-hot-flashes-night-sweats-and-sleep) puts each sweat on the same row as your wakings, which is the pattern a doctor will ask about. The articles here cover sweating in perimenopause and after menopause, what to change in the bedroom, and what to note before an appointment. ### Questions readers ask When should I see a doctor about night sweats? The NHS says see a GP if they are regular and wake or worry you, come with fever, cough or diarrhoea, or come with weight loss you cannot explain. Can a medicine be the cause? Yes. The NHS names some antidepressants, steroids and painkillers. A GP may suggest a different medicine if one seems to be behind it. Does sweating in a warm room count? No. The NHS counts it only when you are soaked even though the room is cool. Can I have hot flashes and night sweats without menopause? Yes. Anxiety, low blood sugar, alcohol, hyperhidrosis and some medicines can all cause sweating at night, according to the NHS. Is there a bedding fabric proven to stop night sweats? We found none named by the NHS or the NIA. Their advice is about layers you can remove, a cool room and a fan. Do night sweats make sleep worse? Often. The NHS says sleep problems can be worse when you have night sweats, and the NIA notes waking can set off a hot flash. Related reading ### Every article, newest first Each article answers one question about sleep in perimenopause and menopause, with the source for every health fact linked where it is used. [Read the articles](/articles) --- [ ](/) The night side of perimenopause and menopause: hot flashes, night sweats and 3am waking, with every health fact linked to its source. 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