The best duvet for menopause and night sweats

Whenever I get together with my girlfriends one conversation that always comes up is menopause and hot flushes.  It used to be children and before that boyfriends then weddings ... oh how things change!  So with the warmer months coming up I thought I would pass on the best solution I found to help with the pesky problem of sleepless nights due to night sweats and/or hot flushes.  And one simple change you can make that really does work, I know because I have done it, and I have not looked back, is to invest in a wool duvet.  Let me explain ....

Get plenty of fresh air during the day to help you sleep at night

Overheating causes disrupted sleep

Overheating is a common cause of disrupted sleep and this is especially so for women approaching menopause and post menopause, something like 75% of women at this stage of their life report night sweats of hot flushes.  For me it was night sweats, constantly throwing the duvet on and off throughout the night, one leg out, then I'd get cold again.  My husband would freeze while I had to have the window open to let the cooler air in.  I suffer with periods of insomnia anyway so this was really adding to my sleep problems.

Until we purchased a wool duvet.  I had heard about them but this was a few years ago and they still hadn't made the mainstream and you couldn't just walk into John Lewis and buy one (and the choice is still very limited).  We were at a country show locally and it was actually my husband that got talking to the representatives at Baavet.  He called me over to listen to the details.

Wool is a temperature regulator, it is breathable and moisture wicking.  Wool aids sleep by allowing your body to maintain the perfect temperature throughout the night.  It is natural and has evolved over thousands of years to keep sheep healthy!

And there are many other medical conditions that will exacerbate night sweats - diabetes, sleep apnea and side effects from medication for example.  Anxiety can make things worse too.  And we also know that young children don't regulate their temperature well at night.  And it isn't just women, men can suffer from nigh sweats too.

Make sure you fit in relaxation time just for you!

Tips to keep cool at night

Leave a window open.

Avoid synthetic fabrics and choose cotton sleepwear and bedding.

Cotton, linen and wool are the best regulators of temperature.
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Keep a glass of cold water next to your bed.

A cotton sheet is a good option during the summer but it doesn't feel cosy and I like the weight of a duvet and I also like to know I can warm up if I feel too cold.

Why a wool duvet?

Wool is a natural thermoregulator of heat, it is natural and renewable, 

I am never too hot or too cold at night now.  The wool duvet regulates my temperature completely and there are never any duvet arguments because the one duvet adapts to both of us.

When you get hot at night the wool fibres draw the moisture away and absorbs up to 30% of moisture, compared to cotton which only absorbs about 10%.

But they don't need to be washed!  As wool is naturally antibacterial and dust mite resistant it is naturally clean.  If your duvet isn't soiled then don't wash it, just hang it out on the line on a sunny day and your duvet will be as fresh as the day it arrived.  If it does need to be washed then dry clean or wash on delicates.

.And for added benefit add a wool mattress cover and wool pillows too.  And if you really want to splash out, then a wool mattress is the ultimate luxury.

Be very careful of the popular memory foam mattresses.  They are so comfortable and I swear by mine for aches and pains but the first one I had I just sweated even more.  So when I changed it I chose a Simba mattress which has an extra cooling layer.  I didn't know about wool then!

Open a window at night then snuggle up under your wool duvet

How to choose the right wool duvet

​Wool duvets do not come in the same tog ratings as a traditional duvet.  Wool duvets are sold by the weight of wool per square meter and are warmer than the equivalent polyester or feather duvet so a lighter weight can be used - but it is cooler which means the same duvet can be used throughout the year.  We only have one duvet now, we chose the Medium Weight Wool Duvet from Baavet and it works summer and winter.

The medium weight is filled with 400-450 gms of wool per m/2 and is similar to an 8-10 tog rating.  Baavet also offer super lightweight, lightweight and winter options.

Baavet duvets are manufactured in North Wales from 100% British wool, they do not use any harmful chemicals.  And they offer a 30 day guarantee, so if you don't like it then they will replace it or give you your money back.

We are about to redecorate our bedroom and I have some lovely new bedding to go onto my antique iron bedstead, I have the Baavet wool duvet and the wool mattress cover and I now plan to purchase new wool pillows.

My sister-in-law bought a wool duvet at the same time as us, she then went back for the mattress cover, the pillows and eventually purchased a wool mattress.  She also confirms her night sweats have gone completely.  

And I have a discount code for Baavet to share with you.  Use code F&F20 for 20% off their full range on their website - this offer is valid until 31st August 2020.  They do great pet beds too!

​Let me know what you think, do you already have a wool duvet?  Might you consider one now?

Love from
Michelle xx

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Disclaimer: this is not a sponsored or gifted post, it is entirely personal, I contacted Baavet and asked if they would be happy to offer my readers a discount.

Other menopause posts you might find useful:

10 Tips for Managing Menopause
Perimenopause and why I decided to take HRT
How to be kind to yourself and how aromatherapy could help

​I link up with:

Is This Mutton
#WowOnWednesday 

Mummabstylish
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