Night sweats and waking up freezing

[frazzled101]

I am 39, turning 40 next week.

I've had the occasional night sweat but I've put it down to the bed being too warm. Im a cold person so I used to go to bed in fleece pjs, winter quilt and hot water bottle.

This week has been horrible. Im only wearing light pjs and no hot water bottle, so last night it actually felt cold when trying to go to sleep.

I then wake around 5am freezing, pjs, pants, and sheets are damp, I feel so sweaty and disgusting. Im then getting up, changing my pjs and going back to bed freezing. I'd take a shower only I don't want to wake my husband. He then wants to cuddle in, but I feel so dirty I push him away.

Sometimes I'll wake up earlier, when I'm actually boiling hot but generally I can sleep until I'm freezing cold.

Is this my life now? How can I make sure I'm warm enough to get over to sleep, but then cool enough that I don't sweat this much?

I sleep with the window open, much to my DH's annoyance.

Can't say I've ever woken up freezing though?

Are you sure you're menopausal? Have you had blood tests?

Welcome to the nights of the sweats. I wake up at least 5 times a night absolutely roasting hot and dripping in sweat. I fling off the covers, and if I'm lucky manage to get back to sleep. Then I wake up absolutely freezing cold.
And repeat.
It's bloody awful.

The HRT stops the night sweats within a week of starting.

I was the same as you at the same age but didn't know what it was. I started HRT in January this year and have stopped having night sweats (I did need to increase my oestrogen twice to make them stop completely.)

I am now sleeping in pyjamas again for the first time in years! It's lovely!

Do you get very hot and red when you eat?

@WhateverMate I still get regular periods and have always had horrible pms but this is very different. I haven't been keeping track of how often it's happening but this week in particular stands out, as it's been every night.

Washing 14 sets of pyjamas a week!

It didn't stop mine but did reduce it massively.

I still wake up with wet hair at the back of my head but the sweating doesn't wake me up like it used to.

@Linguist80 no issues with food or eating. Just bedtime.

Have you increased the oestrogen? I'm on 100mcg patch and it works a treat.

I'd have a word with the Doctor.

They can do blood tests and check your hormone levels.

I used to manage this by making sure I was warm enough at bedtime not to need thick bedding, wearing nightclothes that were absorbent but with enough exposure that I could stick bits out of bed when I was hot, a glass of water by the bed for drinking to cool down and to replace lost fluids.

Sleep on a bath towel and leave a fresh towel and pjs next to your bed for a quick change. Top sheet too if needed. This made the postnatal sweats much easier to manage for me

Hate to be negative but when I was being investigated for cancer every dr asked me if I had night sweats. I'd get yourself checked by a dr just to be safe

I'm taking Elleste Duet 1mg tablets but I'm due to see the GP soon for something else, so I'll mention it then.

Mine have calmed down since HRT but I still get them. I wake up drenched as if I've just walked out of the shower.

I tried bamboo sheets and pjs

I wasn't keen on the pjs but the sheets did help.

I feel your pain re the washing of pyjamas! I've had nights where I have gone through 5 pairs.

Keeping the window open helps a bit, bamboo sheets helped a bit.

The main thing was HRT to be honest, and it was the night sweats that drive me to get it.

There are other less favourable reasons for night sweats. I would see a doctor.

I'd second this. I was being checked out for a breast lump and they asked me about night sweats. Could just be the perimenopause but I'd get it checked.

I’d recommend looking up peri symptoms or going on the Balance app and doing a questionnaire. I had no idea how much of our bodies rely on Oestrogen to function properly and i has so many symptoms of peri. If you have other peri symptoms and the dr rules out other causes, it might help them focus on peri as a cause.