A reader is desperate for some advice on how she can get a full night’s sleep: “I fall asleep easily but wake up a couple of hours later as I am so hot – not sweating just boiling hot.  The result is that I have broken sleep with only a few hours altogether.  I am 56 years old and this has been going on for years.  I am not a worrier.  I can only recall one night where I slept for five hours straight.  I am exhausted!”  Can anyone help?  So far, natural progesterone, red clover and sage have had no effect.  Are there any other natural remedies that could help her sleep?

According to one reader, this problem can be easily treated with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).  However, she does not recommend self-medicating and suggests you visit a qualified practitioner in your area.  Six or seven treatments along with two courses of herbs should do the trick, she says.

Another reader reckons magnesium supplements – along with plenty of water – will help solve sleeping troubles: “I am aged 60 and have had these symptoms for the last ten years or so.  For me, it is a guide to my general health.  If I am eating healthy food and drinking plenty of water, I find these symptoms disappear.  When they reappear, for reasons such as travelling, socialising or whatever, then I find magnesium supplements and many glasses of water sort the problem out.”

You could also try taking a teaspoon of a honey and warm water mixture before you go to bed each night – and throughout the night whenever you wake up.  This should help you to get a full night’s sleep within a few weeks.

Other readers suggest changing your sleeping environment.  Gillie recommends investing in a silk-filled duvet, which, she says, is a good regulator of body heat. Natural cotton sheets may also help keep you cool. 

But one reader can’t get through the night without her Chillow – a product designed to keep your pillow cool.  “I put this on top of my ordinary pillow and the heat from my head goes into it and I go off to sleep again,” she explains.  “I have no idea how it works but it is magic. The Chillow gets warm and my head gets cool.  It can be used on any part of the body.  Details can be found on the Internet and it is also advertised in various catalogues.”

Some readers speculate as to the underlying cause of your sleep problems.  Alyssa thinks they are most likely caused by hormonal fluctuations and recommends getting tested.  Another reader reckons it could be a thyroid problem. 

A holistic sleep consultant, however, notes that the time of night that you wake up is key: “According to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, the hours between 11 pm and 1 am are associated with gallbladder function, 1-3 am with the function of the liver, and 3-5 am with the lungs.”  Depending on the cause, diet, herbs, acupuncture or homeopathy will be able to provide a solution, she says.

---

FREE REPORT: 100 WAYS TO LIVE TO BE 100

Click here for your free report ‘100 ways to live to be 100’

I have a Deep Relaxation CD that has proven to  be wonderful at helping people get to sleep or get back to sleep after awakening.

If your reader would like a complimentary copy of this CD, please let me know and I will stick one in the post.

Hope this helps,

Andrew 

---

Andrew Johnson D.Hyp MBSCH

Clinical Hypnotherapist
EFT Practitioner

19 Wellington Square
Ayr, Ayrshire KA7 1EZ

T: 01292 88 66 99
W: www.AndrewJohnson.co.uk
E: info@AndrewJohnson.co.uk

Try black cohosh. Remifemin is a reliable product. Also, a dropper of valerian tincture in a little water at bedtime helps. Also, keep the room as cold as possible (this can be a problem if your bedmate complains of the cold - if that's the case, have a portable fan blow directly on you only). Natural cotton sheets are not as hot as synthetic ones and a cotton mattress pad helps.

I have found that PPMP (prescribed for me by a herbalist but you can get it from the Nutri Centre in London by post) has helped me to get longer periods of sleep.  It is a relaxant and not harmful.  I too get hot and sometimes sleep with a fan on but have found that taking the PPMP I do not get so hot - or it could be the herbs that I am taking!.  I try not to drink too much before going to bed either.  Elizabeth

Hi, I tried all the usual recommended herbs etc., none helped me either.  I was so tired and becoming depressed with the situation when I came acros information about a "Menopause Magnet".   It suggests help for numerous symptoms but the one important thing for me was to stop hot sweats and help sleep.

I was thrilled with my magnet, It definitely helped with the sweating and boiling feeling and I sleep much better.  I hoped that it might help me with weight loss as well but alas!!

I bought my magnet online from Magnopulse Healthcare Products for £19.95 plus P & P  MONEY WELL SPENT!  Good Luck

 

 

A couple of years ago I had drenching night sweats, which you say this isn't, but I was also incredibly hot. The remedy that worked for me sounds bizarre, but it did cure it. Or it just coincidentally suddenly cleared up. Who knows, anything is worth a go. I was told to find a very large smooth pebble, grounded by running under water, then taking to bed and keeping a hand on it through the night. The heat all seeped into the stone. For a while I continued to wake really hot and drenched and the pebble also very hot. I 'cleared' it several times and continued for a couple of weeks or so. No difference for a while but then suddenly all was well and the heat and sweat never returned. Don't forget to thank the stone.

May sound strange, but if it works .... 

There are many reasons for broken sleep, so without taking a full case history it is difficult to be precise. It would be interesting to know if she usually wakes at approximately the same time as, according to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, the hours between 11pm - 1 am are associated with gallbladder function, 1 - 3 am with the function of the liver and 3 - 5am with the lungs. Too much Fire energy in the relevant energy systems can be addressed by diet, Chinese herbs or acupucture. Failing that, homeopathy would be a good option. I also often recommend that clients with this type of problem use a quilt which contains a bioceramic fibre that re-balances the body temperature. 

Amanda Kenton

 

I moved into a unit about 12 months ago and never got a full night sleep since moving in.  I spoke to an amazing healer who worked out according to my date of birth (chinese astrology) which way I should be facing when sleeping.  To my surprise since moving my bed in the correct position I have had a full night sleep ever since.

I too suffer from being very hot at night, though not sweating. It does indeed disturb one's sleep. I recommend The Chillow. It can be used in direct contact with the skin or put inside a pillow case. It will dissipate heat from the affected areas of the body. It can be used in cases of Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy. Hormone therapy, Hot flushes, night sweats, migraine, muscular aches and pains, swollen joints, eczema, skin conditions or just a over heating system. It is available from a company called Full spectrum Lighting. Telephone number 08450956433. They are in High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire. 1 Chillow will cost £24.95.

I was also having this problem but after a blood test was found to have an over active thyroid. I am not saying this is your problem but a test might be useful

I too often wake up feeling very hot and unable to get back to sleep. I have found great relief since buying a Chillow, which is cool to the touch. I put this on top of my ordinary pillow and the heat from my head goes into it and I go off to sleep again. I have no idea how it works but it is magic. The Chillow gets warm and my head gets cool. It can be used on any part of the body. Details can be found on the Internet and it is also advertised in various catalogues.

hi there,

 

RE: trouble sleeping - because you are waking up HOT.

 THis could be a Kundalini awakening. Kundalini energy flushes through the body and often causes heat. I had similar symptoms when I was 21 and they lasted for two years. I would wake up 3-6 times a night in a massive sweat and hot.

Only now, after working as a mystic do I realise what it was. At the time I had no idea. Perhaps a spiritual chakra balance and some research in to that area may help.

Kind regards,

 Fiona Taylor www.barakaya.com

Your problem is probably due to disruption of your circadian rhythm (sleep wake cycle) and the hormonal fluctations of the menopause are no picnic.  As  a Hormone Health  Specialist I would recommend thinking about testing.  You could also try some extra support from melatonin.

 If you want more information on the menopause I'd advice you to check out our site:  if you go the media section you will find two articles that I've written for CAM Magazine on the Menopause you might find these of interest.  They are easily downloadable.

 www.bio-vitality.com

Hope this helps, best wishes

Alyssa

Alyssa Burns-Hill, MSc, FRSH, MIHPE, MCIM

Have you tried magnesium?  It's possible this might help a lot.  Other things which I have found useful are keeping well hydrated throughout the day, not drinking alcohol during the evening (or if possible no alcohol at all) and if you haven't been drinking sufficient water during the day then drink it when you wake up hot, you may find you need to drink two or three glasses.      It sounds to me very much like dehydration, but with this you also need to look at minerals and any mineral depletion which occurs with this (for example magnesium).   I am aged 60 and have had these symptoms for the last ten years or so.   For me, it is a guide to my general health.   If I am eating healthy food and drinking plenty of water I find these symptoms disappear and when they reappear for reasons such as travelling, socialising or whatever then I find magnesium supplements and many glasses of water sort the problem out.

I, too, used to wake feeling very hot, usually at about 5.00 am. I was looking at getting a new duvet and saw an advert for silk filled duvets. Some research on line told me that silk is a good regulator of body heat during sleep so I bought one. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, I thought as they are not the cheapest. Since then things have been about 90% better. I do get the odd time when I wake rather hot, but my sleep is much better than it used to be. By the way I bought on e-bay where they are somewhat cheaper. I am 63 and have had my new duvet for about a year and I love it.