When women reach menopause, the abrupt change in hormone levels often triggers uncomfortable symptoms. Most people are aware of the hot flashes, but some women are equally desperate to overcome night sweats. These can interfere with sleep and make life miserable.
How Could She Overcome Night Sweats?
Q. I had a complete hysterectomy many years ago. I was on Premarin for about 10 years and weaned myself off that with no problems.
For the last six years I have been having terrible night sweats several times a night. I don’t know what an uninterrupted night of sleep is anymore. My doctor has no solution for me. Can you help?
Hormone Advice from Dr. Romm:
A. You might want to listen to our recent interview with Dr. Aviva Romm. In Show 1266: How Women Can Improve Their Hormone Intelligence, she discusses the use of hormones for menopausal symptoms and natural approaches to overcome night sweats. She suggests avoiding alcohol, especially red wine, because it disrupts sleep. Meditation may help calm your mind after a busy day.
Here Are the Herbs:
In addition, Dr. Romm recommends botanicals such as ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) and reishi mushroom to help support good sleep. She is also fond of a combination of lemon balm and valerian for sleep and hot flashes. Melatonin, she says, can help reset circadian rhythm and improve sleep as well.
In addition, Dr. Romm reports that Vitex, also called chaste tree berry, can be helpful in improving hormonal balance. A small clinical trial confirmed the benefit of Vitex for menopausal symptoms (Korean Journal of Family Medicine, Nov. 2019).
