Menopause 
Are you suffering from night sweats or have you enter to menopause? If you are in your 40s and are experiencing night sweats, it is most likely because you are perimenopausal. Perimenopause is the stage before menopause that can manifest any time between two and ten years prior to becoming menopausal. Many of the symptoms women experience during menopause are also prevalent during perimenopause.
What Are Night Sweats?
Night sweats are the nocturnal counterpart to hot flashes.Night sweats are intense bursts of heat and sweating that occur during sleep. They are the same as hot flashes, but can oftentimes be more disruptive. Waking up soaked once or multiple times during the night limits the amount of sleep you get and can affect your partner. This can leave both of you feeling tired and stressed throughout the day. To understand better night sweat episodes during your perimenopausal stage, read on some of the tips below.
How Can Night Sweats Affect Your Body?
>Lack of sleep
Sleep disorders can be one of the most frustrating symptoms during perimenopause.One of the most frustrating and stressful side effects of perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause is the possible sleep disorders that come with it. Night sweats can make it harder for you and your partner to sleep at night and can cause you to be tired and lack energy during the day. If you do not receive the recommended 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night, the fatigue can take a toll on your body and overall well-being.
>Gastrointestinal tract distress
During perimenopause, women tend to experience gastrointestinal distress.The fluctuation of hormones in a woman's body can often affect the gastrointestinal tract. Some women may experience problems with their digestive system like bloating. If this occurs regularly talk to your doctor. You may also try some herbal teas and over-the-counter anti-gas medications.
>Lowered sex drive
A decreased sex drive can be caused by night sweats.No need to be embarrassed, many woman experience a decreased sex drive as a result of the hormonal changes in their bodies during the unpleasant stage of perimenopause. A decrease in desire is a common part of this stage of life, but you should not let it ruin your sex life.
More about Night Sweats and Perimenopause
As you enter to the perimenopausal transition, it is natural for you to experience many of the common symptoms of menopause. Night sweats may be a first indication that your body will soon start changing and ovulating less frequently. Click on the links below for more information about night sweats.
>Sources
- Boston Women's Health Collective. "Hot Flashes, Night Sweats and Sleep Disturbances". Our Bodies, Ourselves, 2006.
- The National Institute of Health.(n.d)."Signs of the Menopausal Transition".Retrieved from www.nih.gov
- Von Muhlen, DG, et al. "A community-based study of menopause symptoms and estrogen replacement in older women". Maturitas. Sept 1995; 22(2):71-8.
