Cool bed

I stopped wearing jimjams and now just don a pair of M&S Lycra pants and a soft vest top. I wake up with cold feet!

You wear clothes in bed Lily? Didn't we all give that up in the 70's?

Hi ladies. If any of you have a toner which you use on your skin, for a quick cool down, soak a cotton wool pad in the toner and place at the back of your neck just below the hairline. If you don't have a toner then dampen a cotton pad with water and do the same. To have some cooling pads readily available, place some damp cotton wool pads (individually) into a small container and place the container in the fridge - cooling pads to hand whenever you need them. Also, don't forget the very quick way of cooling down - if appropriate - and that is to run cool water over your wrists. I must admit that I was always 'on and off' with the duvet as well!

I'm 64 and my personal thermostat stopped working more than 10 years ago. I do get very hot at night, but have found that what M&S call "Comfortably Cool Mattress Protection" has reduced the heating effect of my foam mattress (which I use as it suits my dodgy back). I also use 100% cotton bedding and a 2.5 tog duvet for most of the year. If I'm very hot I sleep without the duvet - which is why I wear cotton PJ's.

I don't think there is any solution to this overheating problem, sadly, but I can live with it. More difficult than the nights are the days: if I take any sort of exercise (making beds, light gardening, walking briskly) I sweat profusely, looking as though somebody has tipped a bucket of water over my head. I get hot if I get even slightly anxious!

HRT seems like a sensible solution but personally I don't like taking any sort of medication if I can avoid it. The slightly elevated risk of cancer bothers me - two friends had rapid breast cancer whilst on HRT - and I think that I can live with the inconvenience.

Whatever you do, don't buy a memory foam mattress. It is like your own personal sauna. I made that mistake last year and had to buy 100% cotton sheets and a cotton topper and it is just about bearable now.

Thanks for your ideas. Unfortunately my gp won't give hrt because I have had a period in the last 12 months! ? black cohosh isn't working. I have a fan & didn't find the 'chillow ' helpful because it slides around. I will try the frozen hot water bottle. Does it not get damp? ?

Esspee,quite agree I was on it for potential osteoporosis from age 42. Doctor took me off it at 60, followed 8 years of hellish flushes sweats and just did not feel like ME ?.managed to persuade Doc to put me on it PLEASE.Two years now and just great?. Ladies, as long as you've no one in family with breast or womb cancer,have a with your Doctor.Mine is a lady Doc,may be more sympathetic? There's no need to suffer.

I was on HRT for 18 years but had to come off it last year after having a TIA scare. Stopping it so abruptly sent me quite literally into meltdown but I am now learning to cope with hot flushes. The only way I can sleep at night is with a fan at the bottom of the bed directly aimed at me. I can lift the duvet with my feet and let a breeze in when needed, or just throw the duvet to one side and let the cool air wash over me till I have returned to "normal". I seem to do this now almost in my sleep. We have a memory foam mattress for DH's back problems - memory foam is the total enemy of menopausal women! I have found that a plump mattress topper on my side of the bed has helped enormously. I also always carry around with me (and have by the side of the bed) an aerosol from Boots with a refreshing cooling spray (supposed to be for use in hot weather but all year round for me!) A plastic spray bottle filled with tap water would be as effective but not so easy to put in your handbag!

There are various things on the market. A gel capsule but not used personally; a mist spray to cool and other products. I have top sheet but have the quilt folded on the bed if needed. I also have the windows open for vent fresh air, meaning that the window is locked but allows air through. My issue is my office. The PC generates additional heat, so I have air-con on and I have a small desk fan to cool the PC. The office windows despite having secondary double glazing - in the height of summer I am pretty sure that I could cook an egg! I hope my suggestions help and do not cost too much.

I wouldn't touch HRT as I am Epileptic, luckily I sailed through the Menapause but have always suffered from "tropical moments" at times, dripping sweat & red in the face, fortunately these seem to be getting less. Hot summer nights though, quilt is on & off all night, interesting to read about memory foam mattresses - I bought my 1st one 18 months ago with new bed when I moved - would't have another, I hate it. That might be my problem at night.

When this happened to me I had a ceiling fan fitted over the bed and it worked on remote control. It really does the trick!

I would never take hrt, see here for why www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-experimentation/animals-used-experimentation-factsheets/premarin-prescription-cruelty/

I think there are plant based ones now, but am really past the need for it.

The coolmats for dogs are great! Got mine on Amazon.

Esspee is right. However what is your mattress? I have had to sleep for a month on one of the memory foam toppers at my aged mother's it retained and was horribly hot. So posh Spring interior mattress keeps you aerated and cooler. Boots do an aerosol hot weather spray, why not try that too. When I was two stone heavier I felt hot so losing weight if you wish, need or care to may also be part of the solution. HRT does wonders for connective tissue too, who knows you may be able to put your ankle behind your neck after all. All the best

PS Also use 100% cotton bed linen.

27 years crikey, what will you be like if you had to come off it, should you be taking it that long. I'm 71 long over the menopause but still get hot in bed summer or winter. This summer the really hot days we had made me feel that I had started the menopause all over again.

I got two cool mats on Wowcher a few weeks ago but not tried them. I'm keeping them in the fridge and was going to put them under the bottom sheet. Think they were about £9 for the two. You could look it up and see if any are available on Wowcher/Groupon or similar.

I use ice bricks, the ones you use in picnic bags, two small, two large. I put the small ones under my pillow large ones in a pillow case for my feet. When I don't need them I use them to keep my frozen food cold when returning from the shops.

Although only ( doesnt feel only some days) 48 i had a hysterectomy a months ago which although was the best thing ever IMO, my "tropical moments" are driving not only me but my DH up the wall, i cant use HRT but i do use magnesium tablets an hour before bed and evening primrose in the morning and they do help a bit but i am thinking about buying one of those ladycare magnets, does anyone else use them ? I darent tell my DH that my tropical moments may go on for years !

I would strongly recommend Menopace tablets. Although I have to sleep under a thin duvet even now at 59, the tablets eradicated the hot flushes.

So good to hear that so many others are coping with the same problem. At 62 I'm still having hot flushes. Suffering from Fibromyalgia doesn't help as one of the symptoms is being unable to regulate body temperature. I've tried most of what's been suggested. Memory foam us a killer so recently invested in Natural mattress from John Lewis which is dual sided. One side for winter & other for summer. That side is definitely cooler. Also invested in natural wool summer weight duvet and wool pillow which helps regulate temperature and absorbs heat & moisture as well as natural bamboo sheets, duvet cover & pillowcases. Bamboo is supposed to be four times cooler than cotton, is very absorbent and dries quickly so I've also bought bamboo pyjamas, camisole tops & T shirts. Small fan is well travelled and comes everywhere with me when we go away. Everything helps a bit but it looks as if the flushes and night sweats are here to stay.

Early sixties and been having hot flushes for about 10 years (seems longer), even purchased one of the new mattresses with gel in, supposed to keep you cool but still wake up having a hot flush, throw off the duvet and move to a cooler spot in the bed, then on with quilt again and back to sleep until the next one wakes me. Think I'd only sleep right through if I had an anesthetic.
Very rare I get a flush in the day.
Funny how I always wake up just before the flush starts. Just think I've got a faulty thermostat.