Hot Flashes, Cool Comfort: Why Fabric Choice Matters During Menopause

Good old, unpredictable menopause – you literally don’t know what you’re going to get until you start experiencing things that you’ve never had trouble with before in your life. From mental fog and irritability to itchy skin and frozen shoulder, there are so many changes that happen to us in our 40s and 50s that can be tied back to those erratically declining hormones, estrogen and progesterone.

By far, the most common symptom is hot flashes. The Menopause Society estimates that approximately 75% of all women in some stage of menopause suffer from hot flashes and night sweats. Up to 25% of those women experience symptoms so severe, they need to see a health practitioner to help alleviate them.

If you are in this cohort, you know just how debilitating hot flashes and night sweats can be. Night sweats are especially insidious because they rob you of your sleep. Worse, if you already suffer from another common menopause symptom – insomnia – night sweats will make your insomnia worse.

Hot Flashes and Night Sweats: Why Menopause Changes the Way Clothing Feels

The simple act of sleeping can feel like an uphill battle. Now, pile on the drippy, swampy, sleepwear and bed linens and you might want to raise the white flag of surrender and walk around in a fog for the next few years (or more).

Fear not.

Hormone therapy and non-hormonal treatments can help. In addition, what you wear—especially at night—can make a meaningful difference.

What makes Menopause Clothing different from Regular Clothing? 

Menopause clothing and sleepwear are designed specifically to manage rapid changes in body temperature and moisture. Unlike standard “breathable” or “cooling” fabrics, menopause-specific garments use thermo-regulating materials that actively respond during hot flashes and night sweats.

When overheating occurs, these fabrics pull heat and moisture away from the skin. As body temperature drops, they release stored warmth without becoming cold or clammy. This helps reduce the intensity of temperature swings and supports greater comfort throughout the day and night.

Why Fabric Choice Matters

Many everyday fabrics absorb sweat but trap it against the skin, intensifying discomfort and making temperature regulation harder. During menopause, this can worsen sleep disruption, fatigue, and irritability.

Thermo-regulating fabrics work differently—moving moisture away quickly, allowing the skin to dry, and helping the body return to a more balanced state. Many are also naturally odor-resistant and antibacterial, adding confidence during daytime wear or travel.

Better Comfort, Better Sleep, Better Days

Improved temperature regulation supports more restful sleep, which in turn improves energy, focus, mood, and resilience. When you’re no longer waking up drenched or worrying about visible sweat, clothing becomes something you don’t have to think about—and that alone can restore confidence.

Why managing heat and moisture together matters

Unlike regular apparel, menopause clothing is designed with the understanding that the body’s internal thermostat is no longer working the way it once did. The goal isn’t just to feel cooler — it’s to help the body manage heat and moisture together, so those temperature spikes and crashes feel less extreme and less disruptive.

Clothing that Works with your Body, Not Against It

Well-designed menopause clothing and sleepwear support the body through its natural fluctuations:

• During a hot flash or sweat episode, excess heat and moisture are pulled away from the skin
• As body temperature drops, the fabric doesn’t stay cold or clingy but rather, releases the heat stored in its fibres back to you
• Throughout the day and night, airflow and dryness help reduce irritation and discomfort

This kind of self-regulating behaviour doesn’t eliminate hot flashes or night sweats — but it can make them feel more manageable, less intense, and less likely to disrupt sleep or daily activities.

Many menopause-specific garments are also naturally odour-resistant and antibacterial, which adds another layer of confidence, especially during daytime wear or travel.

Better Comfort Supports Better Days

The link between menopause sleepwear and better sleep

When hot flashes and night sweats interrupt sleep or make daily life uncomfortable, the effects add up quickly. Poor sleep can lead to low energy, difficulty concentrating, mood changes, and reduced resilience to stress.

How improved sleep supports focus, energy, and mood

By supporting more consistent body temperature, the right menopause sleepwear and clothing for hot flashes can help women sleep more soundly, wake feeling more refreshed, and move through the day with greater clarity and ease. For some women, reducing repeated overheating may even help lessen how often hot flashes occur by lowering overall thermal stress on the body.

Comfort Brings Confidence

There’s also an emotional shift that happens when clothing stops being something you have to think about.

• Not worrying about visible sweat
• Not waking up drenched
• Not needing constant outfit or pyjama changes

That sense of comfort restores confidence — and during menopause, that matters more than we often acknowledge.

Why I Created CoolYourSweats

My sleep suffered, my energy dropped, and I no longer felt like myself during the day. I tried to push through it, assuming it was something I simply had to tolerate — until I realized that my sleepwear was making things worse, not better.

With a background in sustainable materials, I began looking closely at how body temperature, sweat levels, and fabric performance interact. I examined how different fibres absorb, release, and retain heat and moisture — and why so many garments fail women when temperature regulation becomes unpredictable.

That process led me to create sleepwear and loungewear specifically designed to support women through hot flashes and night sweats, using fabrics chosen for their ability to manage heat and moisture together. My goal wasn’t to “cool” the body, but to help it find balance again.

I tried and tested many different fabrics until I found the perfect one that wicked away moisture and managed heat all night long. I was able to sleep through the night without having to wake up to flip my covers off and on or change my sleepwear. My days improved because my sleep had improved. I had more energy, more patience and less brain fog. I was able to start doing more than just essential tasks again. I felt more like “me” again.

For many women, changing what they wear becomes one of the simplest, most effective ways to support better sleep, better days, and a greater sense of wellbeing.

Choosing Menopause Clothing That Supports Comfort & Well-Being

Choosing sleepwear designed for menopause isn’t just about comfort—it’s about reclaiming your well-being, both physically and emotionally. By effectively managing temperature and moisture, these garments support deeper, uninterrupted sleep, which leads to clearer thinking, better mood, and renewed energy throughout the day. For many women, this can mean regaining the freedom to pursue activities and relationships with confidence, rather than being held back by discomfort or exhaustion. Ultimately, investing in the right clothing is an empowering step towards feeling more like yourself and navigating the challenges of menopause with greater resilience and joy.

If hot flashes or night sweats are disrupting your comfort or sleep, what you wear can make a meaningful difference. Explore menopause clothing and sleepwear designed for hot flashes and night sweats from CoolYourSweats to support better sleep, steadier energy, and greater day-to-day comfort.