8 ways to keep your bedroom cool

One of the most complained about symptoms of menopause is night sweats, which are essentially hot flashes that occur while you are sleeping. Waking up throughout the night can lead to irritability, inability to concentrate, fatigue and other menopausal symptoms. Sleep is an integral part of wellness; without it the body and mind cannot perform as they should.

If you are suffering from night sweats, or “night flushes,” below are some tips to turn your bedroom into cool sleep vessel.

Open a window.

No matter what season it is, if you’re hot, you’re hot. There’s no sense in letting little conventions like “it’s winter so we should keep the windows shut,” get in the way of being comfortable. It also might make step number two easier.

Break it to your sweetheart.

You still love him. It’s not him, it’s you. You hope you can still be friends. You just can’t stand one more night in a tight embrace that incites the most ferocious night sweats you could ever imagine! Consider separate beds, and if he can’t handle the open window, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to try separate bedrooms for a while.

Keep ice water handy.

If you start overheating in the middle of the day, what’s the first thing you crave? Ice water. Why would nighttime be any different? Keep ice water on the night stand, just don’t forget a coaster.

Hardwood and tile floors

Probably only feasible for those who are lucky enough to be in the market for a new house or in the process of remodeling, but carpet traps heat while hard surfaced floors allow for more breeze.

Get a good fan.

Make sure you trim your nails at least once a week. Keeping them short and manicured will help you avoid excessive chipping or accidental breaking, which is always more damaging than clipping them yourself.

Surround yourself with calming colors.

Think warm. Only the exact opposite. Having a cool color scheme in your bedroom will send you off to dream land thinking about watercress sandwiches and lemonade instead of spicy chili and hot coffee.

Spring for cotton sheets.

Stay away from satin and other smothering fabrics that block airflow. You need to breathe!

Air conditioning.

If you are lucky enough to have it. Can you really put a price on sanity? If it’s too hot in your house to sleep, what’s the point? Turn on the A.C.!

If you are implementing lifestyle changes that include a more well-balanced diet and exercise, and your night sweats persist, you should talk to your doctor. It may be time to consider alternative treatments or, for more severe cases, hormone replacement therapy (HRT). For more information on treatments of night sweats, follow this link.