If you are in the midst of menopause, you have probably experienced a hot flash or two along the way. Hot flashes and night sweats are common menopause symptoms, and they can be uncomfortable and sometimes even debilitating.
Many women find that the symptoms of menopause in general, and hot flashes in particular, tend to get worse at night. But what is it about nighttime that makes the symptoms of menopause worse? Here are some of the factors at play.
Hormonal Changes During the Day
Changes in your hormone levels help trigger the hot flashes associated with menopause. As your hormone levels rise and fall, you may experience changes in your body temperature, along with the associated heat flashes.
Hormone levels do not stay steady throughout the day – they rise and fall. For many women, these hormonal changes during the day are worst after the sun goes down, making existing hot flashes more intense or triggering new hot flashes, and night sweats, during the evening and overnight hours.
Caffeine Consumption
For many women, caffeine consumption makes the symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes, a lot worse. If you are experiencing frequent night sweats and severe hot flashes in the overnight hours, you might want to limit your consumption of caffeinated beverages after dinner.
At the very least, do an experiment to see if caffeine consumption has an impact on your hot flashes. If you find that drinking coffee, tea, soda and other caffeinated beverages makes your hot flashes worse, limiting their consumption in the nighttime hours could be a big help.
Issues with Your Sleep Environment
If your hot flashes get worse at night, there are things you can do to make yourself more comfortable, starting with changes to your sleeping environment. If you are troubled by night sweats and nighttime hot flashes, try adding an air conditioner to your bedroom or sleeping next to a large fan. It might not make your hot flashes go away, but cooling the bedroom down can at least make you more comfortable.
If you experience any changes in your menopause symptoms, it is important to talk to your doctor. You should keep your doctor informed about all your menopause symptoms, including night sweats and hot flashes, Your doctor needs to know not only what you are experiencing but when, so they can develop an effective treatment plan, one that will keep you comfortable as your body changes.
