Hot flushes in a heatwave: staying cool when your body won’t

A heatwave is hard enough. Add menopausal hot flushes and summer can feel like the volume turned all the way up. Here is how to find your cool again.

⏱️ 7-minute read · Words by Chiara Ugozzoli · Updated June 2026

TLDR: Hot flushes are common in menopause and a heatwave can amplify them. Practical cooling, light breathable layers, a cooler bedroom, and easing back on known triggers like alcohol, caffeine and spicy food all help you take charge of the day. For symptoms that disrupt your life, several effective options exist, from hormone therapy to talking therapies and newer medicines, all worth discussing with your doctor.

Why does a heatwave make hot flushes feel worse?

If summer suddenly feels personal, you are in good company. A hot flush is a sudden wave of heat through the upper body, often with flushing, sweating and a racing heart, and it can last anywhere from one to five minutes. The Menopause Society guide to hot flashes reports that these surges affect up to 80% of women during the menopause transition, so they are a widely shared experience and a normal part of this stage.

During a heatwave, your body is already working to shed warmth, so an internal surge lands on top of an external one. The result can feel relentless. Naming what is happening tends to soften it, because you can meet a known visitor far more calmly than a mystery one.

Picture this. It is 2pm, the flat is baking, and you feel the familiar prickle rise up your chest and into your face just as the doorbell rings. Your instinct is to apologise and hide. Instead you reach for the cool water you stashed in the fridge, press it to the back of your neck, and breathe slowly out. The wave crests, then it passes. You stay in charge of the moment.

What actually helps you cool down?

The everyday wins here are wonderfully practical, and you can start most of them today. The same Menopause Society guidance highlights cooling techniques and trigger awareness as genuinely useful first steps.

• Dress in light, breathable layers so you can peel back a layer the moment a surge begins. Natural fibres like cotton and linen let your skin breathe.
• Keep cool water close. Sip it through the day, and press a chilled bottle or a damp cloth to pulse points at the neck and wrists for fast relief.
• Carry a handheld fan and seek shade or air-conditioned spaces during the hottest hours.
• Cool the bedroom early. Lighter bedding, breathable nightwear and a fan all help night sweats feel more manageable, so sleep stays within reach.

How do I handle night sweats specifically?

Night sweats are hot flushes that arrive after dark, and in a heatwave they can turn sleep into a series of damp, frustrated wake-ups. They deserve their own plan, because rest is what gives you the patience and energy to handle everything else the next day. The NHS menopause self-help guidance recommends sleeping in a cool, well-ventilated room and wearing loose clothes made of natural fibres like cotton to help you stay comfortable through the night.

A few gentle, repeatable habits make the biggest difference once the sun goes down:

• Cool the room before you climb in. Open a window in the early evening, run a fan, and let the air move so your body has less heat to shed overnight.
• Layer your bedding. Choose cotton sheets and stack light layers you can push off one at a time as the night warms, so you stay in control of your own temperature.
• Keep a cooling kit on the nightstand. A glass of cold water, a small spray bottle for your face, and a thin flannel give you fast relief while you stay half-asleep.
• Wind down with a warm, calm hour. A tepid shower, slow breathing and dimmed screens settle your nervous system, which helps you drift back off after a surge passes.

If broken sleep stretches on for weeks and leaves you running on empty, treat that as a signal to book a chat with your doctor, because persistent night sweats are one of the symptoms that respond well to the options below.

How do I stay cool at work and out with friends?

Hot flushes have a habit of arriving at the least convenient moment: mid-meeting, on a packed train, halfway through dinner with friends. A little quiet preparation lets you meet them with poise and stay fully present in your day.

• At your desk: keep a small USB or battery fan within reach, a refillable water bottle on the table, and a light cardigan you can slip off the instant warmth rises. A spot near a window or away from radiators and sunny glass helps too.
• In meetings: sip cold water, choose an aisle or end seat so a discreet step outside feels easy, and let a slow out-breath ride the wave. If you feel comfortable, a simple “I run warm, do you mind if I open a window” often clears the air, quite literally.
• Out with friends or eating out: pick a table away from the kitchen or a roaring patio heater, favour cold sparkling water with lots of ice, and lean toward fresh, lighter dishes on the warmest evenings.
• On the move: a foldable fan, a chilled water bottle and breathable layers turn a sweltering commute into something you can manage. Travelling in off-peak hours, where your schedule allows, spares you the hottest crush.

Sharing a word with trusted colleagues or friends often lightens the load, and many workplaces will happily offer a desk fan or a cooler spot once they understand. You get to decide how much to say, and even a small adjustment can make a long day feel kind again.

Which triggers are worth easing back on?

Some everyday pleasures gently turn up the heat, and a heatwave is a kind moment to give yourself a little space from them. According to the Menopause Society, common triggers include alcohol, caffeine, spicy foods, hot drinks and stress.

This is about gentle swaps you choose, with room for treats. You might trade an afternoon coffee for cold sparkling water with mint, choose a fresh salad over a fiery curry on the hottest evenings, and save a glass of wine for a cooler night. Gentle movement, a calmer pace and a few minutes of slow breathing all help steady the stress that can spark a surge. Each small swap hands you a little more control.

When should I talk to my doctor?

You deserve real support when hot flushes start running the show. Plenty of effective options exist, and a heatwave that leaves you exhausted is a perfectly good reason to ask for help. The NICE guideline on menopause (NG23) sets out a clear menu, including hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for vasomotor symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats, menopause-specific cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and a newer non-hormonal medicine called fezolinetant for moderate to severe symptoms.

Book a conversation with your doctor if hot flushes disrupt your sleep, your mood or your daily life, or if you simply want to understand which option fits you best. The right choice depends on your own health history, and a personalised chat helps you weigh the benefits with confidence.

Try this tonight: Make a “cool-down kit” before bed. Fill a bottle of water and pop it in the fridge, lay out a light cotton layer for tomorrow, and set a small fan within arm’s reach of your pillow. When a surge wakes you, everything you need is right there, and a prepared night feels far kinder than a scramble in the dark.

The gentle takeaway

A heatwave plus hot flushes asks a lot of you, and meeting it with cool water, light layers, a few easy swaps and plenty of self-kindness puts you back in the driving seat. These surges are common, they are temporary in each moment, and good help is available. When summer feels like too much, reach for your cooling tricks first, then reach out to your doctor for the support you deserve.

PrettyWell is a women’s lifestyle and wellbeing magazine. This article shares general information and wellbeing perspectives to help you ask better questions and feel more in charge; for anything about your own health, please speak with a qualified healthcare professional.

References

1. The Menopause Society, Hot Flashes. https://menopause.org/patient-education/menopause-topics/hot-flashes
2. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Menopause: identification and management (NG23), Recommendations. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/chapter/recommendations
3. NHS, Menopause: Things you can do. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/things-you-can-do/