Science-backed solutions for hot sleepers (that don’t involve sleeping in the freezer)
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The discomfort is real, and it’s relentless. Whether you’re pregnant, postpartum, or navigating perimenopause, night sweats can turn what should be restorative sleep into a cycle of soaked pajamas and restless nights. But the good news is, there are evidence-based strategies that can help minimize the disruption and keep you from waking up with that “did I actually pee myself or something” line of questioning. (It’s me, hi.)
The stats are as sobering as they are validating: 35% of pregnant women and 29% of postpartum women report these delightful nocturnal saunas, while up to 80% of perimenopausal and menopausal women get to join this sweaty sisterhood.
But before you resign yourself to a lifetime of sleeping on towels and keeping your AC company on speed dial, know this: there’s actually science-backed help. Real solutions from someone who’s been there, done that, and created an entire sleepwear company because of it.
Katya Eckert, founder of A Domani sleepwear (a 2025 Oprah Daily Menopause O-Wards Winner!) gets it. After being “completely blindsided” by nightsweats after the birth of her daughter, she did what any sleep-deprived, sweat-soaked new mom would do: she researched the hell out of it and created better solutions. Because sometimes when life hands you night sweats, you make… sleepwear?
Understanding what’s happening in your body
The night sweats aren’t a personal failing—they’re your body responding to a hormonal rebellion. Research shows that for postpartum women, this sweaty chaos peaks at two weeks after delivery (because apparently two weeks postpartum wasn’t challenging enough already), with about 20% of people reporting hot flashes during this time. For our perimenopausal sisters, it’s a slow burn: approximately 20% report hot flashes five to eight years before their final period, ramping up to about 48% in the year before and 60% in the year after. Fun times all around. As Eckert explains:
“In pregnancy, we have dramatic shifts upward in estrogen and progesterone, our metabolism is working overtime to sustain the pregnancy and our blood volume increases by approximately 50%. In postpartum, our estrogen is plummeting and we are quickly losing the additional fluids. This also occurs after weaning. In perimenopause, our estrogen stores are depleting, but in the most chaotic way possible, a roller coaster to zero.”
So why do our hormones insist on waking us up at the most ungodly hours? “Our hormones serve the role of messengers in the body, and in these scenarios the hypothalamus (the brain’s thermostat) gets faulty signals and thinks your body temperature is too high even if it isn’t. In turn, it turns on the cooling vasomotor systems, widening of blood vessels and activation of sweat glands. After dumping sweat, it signals the blood vessels to contract which is why sweats are followed by chills,” says Eckert. Fun!
Your sleep environment: The foundation of cool rest
Here’s where we can actually do something useful instead of just complaining (though complaining is therapeutic too). Eckert’s recommendations are refreshingly specific and slightly aggressive—in the best way.
Your Thermostat Is Your Best Friend: “Aim for 62-68 on the thermostat at nighttime. Research shows that this range helps your body temperature drop, which is essential for deep sleep.” Yes, your partner might complain about the electric bill, but the biggest mistake hot sleepers make is “not having your thermostat set low enough. Our body temperature naturally declines in sleep and if the external temperature doesn’t coincide, this can trigger vasomotor symptoms.” Your comfort is worth the extra few dollars.
The Complete Environment: “Get your room as dark as possible, don’t keep electronics in your bedroom that emit heat and blue light, use a fan (air circulation helps with evaporation and has the side benefit of white noise to achieve deeper sleep.) Upgrade your sleep surface: a foam mattress traps heat, opt for a latex or breathable mattress or use a cooling mattress pad and pillow.”
The counterintuitive shower strategy
One of Eckert’s most surprising recommendations involves embracing heat to create cool: “Take a warm shower just before bed. This is a counterintuitive tip but in this scenario we are intentionally warming the skin to trigger the cooling reaction, which helps you fall asleep faster and stay asleep.”
She calls this warm pre-bedtime shower “really a secret weapon to send your body into a cooler state to achieve deeper sleep.” It’s like reverse psychology for your thermostat—and honestly, after the day you’ve probably had, you deserve a warm shower anyway.
Timing is everything
In an ideal world (you know, the one where kids go to bed without negotiating and dishes wash themselves), Eckert outlines the dream evening routine: “Finish your meal 3-4 hours before bedtime. Make this a well-rounded meal with whole grains, lean proteins, vegetables and healthy fats. There are also some sleep superfoods! Kiwi, tart cherries, almonds, walnuts, bananas and dairy. Adjust your thermostat down 2 hours before you’re ready for bed. Shower right before cozying up!”
But then comes the reality check we all needed: “Sometimes we have wine and late night pizza, or you’re too dead tired after chasing your kids around to take a second shower, or any shower at all. At that point, you are going to lean hard on your sleepwear and bedding to do the good work for you.”
Finally, someone who gets it. We’re all just doing our best out here.
Things that make everything worse (sorry)
Some lifestyle choices are basically adding fuel to your internal fire. The bad news: “Pass on alcohol and caffeine close to bedtime, both of which will raise your heart rate and body temperature, putting extra stress on the body and exacerbating night sweats.”
And about that wine you’ve been using to cope with everything else in your life? Eckert doesn’t mince words: “Do yourself the favor of limiting your alcohol consumption to less than 3 drinks per week or eliminate it entirely. Alcohol consumption will amplify every symptom of perimenopause: hot flashes, mood swings, sleep quality, weight gain, mental clarity, energy quality, breast tenderness, bone health and beyond.”
We know, we know. Sometimes wine feels like the only thing standing between you and a complete breakdown. But if you’re already melting into your mattress every night, it might be worth considering. Sleepy girl mocktails, anyone?
The science of sleepwear
When it comes to what you wear to bed, Eckert seems to have dipped into my pajama drawer to call me and my threadbare American Apparel polyester T-shirts out specifically. “Pajamas are an afterthought for most women. We tend to spend a lot of time, money and effort on others and the nighttime (the unseen time) defaults to old college t-shirts and boxers. When in fact, the quality of your pajamas are equally, if not more, important than your sheets, mattress and pillow.”
Her recommendations for hot sleepers are specific:
- Natural fiber knitwear ideally cellulosic (plant-based), not cotton, and not woven which tends to tangle and wrap on the body
- Cool to the touch
- No collars since our necks are extra sensitive to temperature
- Stay away from uncomfortable seams and elastic waist bands that dig
Beyond cotton: The new generation of sleep fabrics
Prepare to have your world rocked: that cotton everyone’s been preaching about? It’s not the holy grail. While Eckert acknowledges “we can all collectively hear our mothers and OB/GYNs telling us to wear cotton underwear,” she’s here with some news: “And while cotton has its place, I’m here to tell you there are better alternatives out there and fabric engineering is quickly evolving, especially in the natural fiber space.”
This realization became the foundation for A Domani’s approach to sleepwear. Plant-based alternatives like lyocell (from eucalyptus, birch, and pine) are the overachievers of the fabric world, which is exactly why A Domani sources these cutting-edge materials. As Eckert explains: “Lyocell absorbs 50% more moisture than cotton and releases it faster, keeping the skin drier and cooler. It is naturally more resistant to bacteria growth and odor, and it will maintain that ‘just washed’ feel for several wears.”
Translation: you can actually wear the same A Domani pajamas multiple nights without feeling gross. Revolutionary. It’s this kind of performance that earned A Domani recognition as a 2025 Oprah Daily Menopause O-Wards Winner—validation that Eckert’s fabric obsession actually paid off.
The fabric technology matters because “some fibers can keep up with your body, manage moisture, and preserve your rest.” Understanding the difference between moisture-wicking and fast-drying is key: “Moisture-wicking means that the fabric pulls wetness from the body and quickly spreads it over its surface. Fast-drying means quite literally that the fabric dries rapidly so you don’t have patches of wet, soggy, irritating fabric on the skin.” We’ll take both, thank you.
Preparing for what’s ahead
For women not yet experiencing these transitions, Eckert emphasizes preparation: “Hormonal transitions, like anything else, are better weathered with healthy habits born out of self-love and treating our bodies and minds with kindness.”
Her advice extends beyond sleep and into, well, everything. “A healthy diet full of colorful fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grain fiber and heart-healthy fats… Walk and move your body as much as possible with whatever exercise makes you happy. And, 2-3x per week, add strength training… Take care of your stress levels… Establish good sleep hygiene.”
But here’s the most important part: “Track your symptoms. As women we are used to being gaslit in many areas of life, but we also tend to dismiss our own symptoms – because life is just too busy and we end up putting ourselves last. If you feel like something is new or off, it likely is.”
Preach. Trust your gut, even when everyone else (including yourself) is telling you it’s “probably nothing.”
The real talk you need to hear
Night sweats during hormonal transitions aren’t a character flaw or something you need to just “deal with.” They’re a legitimate medical experience that deserves real solutions. While these strategies can significantly help, Eckert keeps it real: “Lifestyle can sometimes only get you so far, in which case, advocate for yourself, find a medical professional who will take you and your symptoms seriously and will work with you to optimize your wellbeing. There are FDA approved solutions out there!”
You’re not being dramatic. You’re not “too sensitive.” You’re experiencing something that affects millions of women, and you deserve to sleep through the night without feeling like you’re camping in a swamp.
The chaos is real, the solutions are science-backed, and you’re definitely not alone in this sweaty mess we call womanhood. Now go forth and sleep cool, you magnificent, overheated warrior.
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