Shadowline® Petals Sleeveless Swing Top

October is World Menopause Month, and if you’re one of the 8 to 10 million women estimated to be experiencing active menopausal symptoms in the U.S. in any given year, you’ll know just how greatly it can affect your sleep quality. Between intense hot flashes and the clammy feeling that follows, you may find yourself waking up far more frequently than you ever used to, and struggling to fall back asleep afterwards.

While choosing menopause-friendly sleepwear can’t solve everything, it can certainly go a long way towards keeping you cooler, drier and more comfortable throughout the night. Allow us to walk you through selecting the very best sleepwear for menopause, and why it helps.

But first, why does menopause disrupt your sleep?

There are two key factors at play here: falling estrogen, and falling progesterone.

Your body has what’s called a ‘thermoneutral zone’ – a range of core body temperatures at which you’ll feel comfortable, neither too hot nor too cold. As estrogen levels decrease during menopause, this zone can shrink from around 0.7°F of variability to practically nothing, meaning even the slightest increase in core body temperature can be misinterpreted by your brain as an overheating emergency. In response, it triggers sudden sweating and increased blood flow – a hot flash.

At the same time, your body begins producing less progesterone, a hormone which has a calming, sleep-inducing effect on the body. As those levels decrease, your ability to easily fall or stay asleep can be impacted.

Shadowline® Satin Touch Satin & Nylon Flutter Sleeve Short Nightgown

Menopause sleepwear fabrics: think light and breathable

We often think of the word ‘cozy’ when picturing comfy sleepwear, at least in the wintertime, but during menopause you want quite the opposite. Heavy fabrics such as flannel and brushed fleece have an insulating effect by trapping warm air against your body; during a hot flash, you want that heat to dissipate as quickly as possible! So opt for thinner, more breathable fabrics whatever the season.

Cotton batiste is great since it’s a very finely woven version of an already naturally breathable fiber. Our nylon tricot sleepwear – especially our Silhouette collection, which uses our lightest Satrintrique™ nylon – can also help to handle night sweats. It doesn’t readily absorb moisture, meaning it won’t stay damp for a long time, and the warp-knit structure contains tiny channels that help to wick sweat away from your body. It’s why our nylon sleepwear dries so quickly after laundering.

A relaxed fit helps keep you cool

Even breathable fabrics will retain more heat when clinging tightly to the body. Opting for a roomier fit – such as swing tops, flutter sleeves and generously cut skirts – allows more air to circulate, so your temperature is better-regulated and remains more stable through the night. Remember, even the tiniest increase can bring on a hot flash!

Shadowline® Petals Long Sleeve Button Down Pajama Set & Shadowline® Lace Trim Nylon Camisole

Choose layers to stay adaptable

Still like that cozy, wrapped-up feeling as you drift off to sleep? Rather than one heavy garment, multiple light layers allow you to better deal with temperature swings. For example, wearing a camisole below a long-sleeved, button-up pajama top means you can easily shed those sleeves, or at least unbutton the pajama top to vent some heat, if you wake up hot, or conversely put the long-sleeved piece back on during a ‘cold flash’ – the shivering and chills that can follow a hot flash.

Also consider investing in matching pajama sets in different silhouettes, such as our long-sleeved and sleeveless Petals PJs in the same color. Wear one and put the other close by, so you can quickly swap tops if needed during the night.

Keep a spare set of dry pajamas by the bed

Speaking of keeping things near to the bed, if you often find yourself waking up drenched in sweat, it’s very handy having a spare set of pajamas right there that you can quickly switch into. Sometimes, putting on a fresh set beats trying to ignore it and fall back asleep in a damp one, and it’s nice not to have to go digging through your closet to find more sleepwear at three in the morning.

Avoid fabric softener

Fabric softener has its uses, such as adding a thin anti-static film to your garments. However, when you’re navigating the menopause, we recommend avoiding fabric softener on your sleepwear. No matter what fabric it’s made from, the fine coating the softener leaves behind reduces its ability to wick moisture, meaning that any sweat takes longer to evaporate and you stay feeling sticky and uncomfortable.

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A final note from us: alongside choosing menopause-friendly sleepwear, you can help to counteract the loss of progesterone’s natural calming effects by developing your own calming bedtime routine. Whether it’s drawing a relaxing bath, listening to some soothing music, sipping on a cup of chamomile, or throwing on a comfortable robe while you chill with your latest book, being intentional about winding down in the hour or two before bed can go a long way towards reducing restless nights.

Want to read more? Here are five general sleepwear tips to upgrade your nighttime comfort today.