In some cases, lifestyle changes can he a positive impact on your sleep and minimise night sweats. There are a few ways you can do this yourself:
Maintain a cool sleeping environment – It is always best to keep your room cool when sleeping, with the optimum temperature estimated to be around 18.3°C according to the Sleep Foundation. You can do this with air conditioning, a fan, or by opening your windows at night to let cool air flow through. Choose breathable bedding – Lightweight, breathable bedding and moisture-wicking sleepwear can help you to stay cool in bed and oid overheating. If you tend to start off cold in bed, you could also wear several layers that can be easily removed if you start to feel too warm. Stay hydrated – Drinking enough liquids throughout the day, especially water, can help to regulate your body temperature and keep you cool. Many people oid drinking water before bed as they believe this will make them need to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, but in some cases it can be better to hydrate before bed in order to stay cool. Change your diet – Some foods can trigger body temperature to rise, so oid things like spicy foods, caffeine or alcohol, particularly in the evening, and try to notice if any specific foods trigger your night sweats by keeping a food diary for a while.Get regular exercise – Staying fit and healthy with regular exercise can help to reduce stress and regulate hormones, which can reduce the risk of experiencing night sweats. This does not need to be vigorous exercise; gentle and moderate exercise can also help depending on your abilities and other health conditions. Try exercises like yoga, brisk walking, tai chi, or if you he limited mobility, you can try exercises that are comfortable for you while sitting in a chair to move your body. You may find more ideas for exercise in our guide to fitness and exercise for older adults.Try relaxation techniques – For some, relaxation can make a big difference to night sweats and sleep quality, so even if you do not feel particularly stressed, try relaxing mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing and meditation to manage stress.Optimise your sleep hygiene – Sleep hygiene is the quality of the sleep you get and the surrounding activities. For example, improving your sleep hygiene may mean establishing a regular sleep schedule, creating a calming bedtime routine, or anything else that you know makes you fall asleep faster, and experience a more restful night’s sleep.You may find more helpful information in our guide to healthy sleep and insomnia in older adults.
Can night sweats be prevented?Your ability to prevent night sweats will depend on the underlying cause and your health. If your doctor has been unable to pinpoint a specific cause of your night sweats then the best way to oid them is to identify your own personal triggers. You could do this by keeping a diary of the foods you eat, how much you are drinking, your bedtime routine, your relaxation activities, your fitness regime, and anything else you think may contribute to the quality of sleep you get each night. The longer you track your daytime activities, the more data you can gather on how this impacts your sleep, which will allow you to identify which activities are helpful and what should be oided to reduce frequency and severity of night sweats.
There is a limited amount of evidence to suggest that certain natural supplements could he a potentially positive effect on hot flashes in women going through menopause, such as a combination of vitamin E and omega 3 (according to one 2022 study), but much more research is needed to conclusively prove that any natural supplement can help with hot flashes or night sweats. Keep in mind that you should never begin taking any supplement, even if it is considered natural, without consulting your doctor first.
When should an older adult seek medical help for night sweats?If night sweats are negatively affecting your sleep and, as a result, your everyday life, this is something you can bring up with your doctor or another medical professional to get their advice. While hormones are a common cause, you should never assume your night sweats are hormone related, especially if you he been experiencing any of the other concerning symptoms mentioned above such as unexplained weight loss, a fever, or if you feel chest pain at night.
If you are experiencing persistent or severe symptoms, or your night sweats are significantly affecting your sleep quality (and therefore causing tiredness during the day), then don’t be afraid to reach out to your GP for help.
As well as investigating the underlying cause and diagnosing, your doctor can:
Offer advice on lifestyle changes to minimise your night sweatsReview any medications you are on that could be causing night sweatsPrescribe medications to help control night sweats, such as anticonvulsants, antidepressants, clonidine (sometimes used to treat high blood pressure, ADHD, anxiety and more), megestrol (sometimes used to treat certain types of cancer, or to increase appetite), or oxybutynin (sometimes used to treat urinary conditions)Discuss the possibility of starting Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) to alleviate some of your menopause symptoms, if this is the reason for night sweatsYour doctor may also refer you to any relevant specialists if they think this is required, such as an endocrinologist, a gynaecologist, or a sleep expert who can provide advanced care.
How can I help a loved one who is experiencing night sweats?If you he an older loved one who is finding it difficult to cope with night sweats, this can be distressing. They may need emotional support as they try to figure out the cause and how they can minimise this symptom. If they struggle with mobility or other health concerns, you can assist by helping them to carry out some of the lifestyle changes mentioned above. This could be things like adjusting their sleeping environment to make it more cool in temperature, or helping them to manage their diet more effectively. You could also help them by finding local community resources such as support groups, wellness programs and other educational gatherings that offer support for older adults with sleeping problems.
Sometimes the best thing you can do for a loved one who is experiencing any sleep issues is to offer them a listening ear. They may need emotional support as they nigate the lifestyle changes they may need to make, and as disrupted sleep can he a major emotional impact, you can provide the reassurance and understanding they need to make positive changes and eventually improve their sleep without being bothered by night sweats.
Ultimately, older women can rest assured that in many cases, night sweats are attributed to menopausal symptoms and are not a medical issue to worry about. This does not mean they are not extremely distressing for some people, so you can speak to your doctor if you would like to learn what options you he. Also, if you he other symptoms or suspect something else could be the underlying cause, consult your doctor to ensure you are in good health.
With these lifestyle changes and preventative measures, you can start to learn how your night sweats operate and make positive changes to manage them so they no longer affect your life in a negative way.
If you or a loved one struggle with night sweats and could benefit from support from an overnight care professional to manage these during the night, companionship or live-in care to help adhere to a better sleep hygiene routine, or to keep a symptom diary, you can reach out to your local Home Instead office to learn more.
Our Care Professionals are the best of the best, and highly trained to deliver the services you need. No matter what type of home care you are looking for, we can provide a tailored service that suits you or your loved one.
We’re an award-winning home care provider and part of a worldwide organisation devoted to providing the highest-quality relationship-led care for older people in their own homes. Arranging care for yourself or your loved one shouldn’t be stressful, so whatever questions you would like answered, feel free to reach out to the Home Instead team to discuss your needs.