Natural Remedies for Night Sweats

Waking up drenched in sweat, heart racing, sheets soaked—it’s more than just uncomfortable; it’s disruptive, exhausting, and often misunderstood. If night sweats are stealing your rest and peace of mind, you're not alone—and you're not without options.

At her integrative clinic in Encinitas, Dr. Wafaa Matti, NMD helps women uncover the root causes behind night sweats and offers gentle, effective, natural remedies tailored to their unique hormonal and metabolic blueprint. Whether you're in perimenopause, managing adrenal fatigue, or struggling with thyroid dysfunction, there is a path back to restful, uninterrupted sleep.

What Are Night Sweats?

Night sweats refer to episodes of intense sweating during sleep—often so severe that they soak your pajamas or bedding and wake you up feeling overheated and uncomfortable. Unlike mild warmth from a cozy blanket or a warm night, night sweats are sudden, drenching, and typically unrelated to your bedroom temperature.

They can disrupt your sleep quality, lead to fatigue during the day, and contribute to mood swings, poor concentration, and even immune suppression over time. While they’re commonly brushed off as “part of getting older,” night sweats are actually a clinical symptom of an underlying imbalance that deserves attention.

Root Causes of Night Sweats in Women

Hormonal Fluctuations (Estrogen, Progesterone, Cortisol)

Your body’s internal thermostat is largely regulated by estrogen and progesterone. When these hormones decline or fluctuate, especially during perimenopause and menopause, the brain misfires signals that dilate blood vessels and trigger sweating—even when it’s not hot.

Increased cortisol, the stress hormone, can also provoke night sweats by dysregulating your nervous system’s sleep and wake cycle.

Perimenopause and Menopause

These life stages are the most common times women experience night sweats. As the ovaries slow down hormone production, estrogen drops can cause hot flashes and nighttime sweating, often accompanied by anxiety, insomnia, or mood swings.

Because perimenopause can start as early as your late 30s or early 40s, many women don’t realize their symptoms are hormonally driven until they undergo proper testing.

Adrenal Dysfunction and Stress Response

Chronic stress taxes the adrenal glands, leading to imbalances in cortisol and adrenaline that disturb sleep and raise nighttime body temperature. This stress-induced “false alarm” can lead to night sweats even in a cool environment.

Women with adrenal fatigue often report:

• Feeling “tired but wired”
• Difficulty staying asleep
• Overreacting to minor stressors

Blood Sugar Instability

Blood sugar crashes (hypoglycemia) during the night can activate a fight-or-flight response, causing your body to release adrenaline and cortisol—which can lead to sweating and abrupt awakening.

Skipping meals, eating too many refined carbs, or drinking alcohol before bed are common triggers for this type of metabolic night sweating.

Thyroid Imbalance

An overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) speeds up the body’s metabolism, often resulting in heat intolerance, palpitations, and night sweats. Even subtle thyroid dysfunction can impact your sleep-wake cycle and thermoregulation.

Thyroid panels should be part of every comprehensive evaluation of persistent night sweats.

Gut Inflammation and Liver Detox Overload

The liver plays a central role in metabolizing hormones. If it’s overburdened—due to poor diet, alcohol, environmental toxins, or gut dysbiosis—estrogen may recirculate in the body and contribute to hormone dominance or imbalance.

This estrogen congestion can trigger hot flashes and night sweats, particularly in combination with sluggish digestion or inflammatory conditions like leaky gut.

The Limitations of Conventional Treatments

Antidepressants or Hormone Therapy Without Personalization

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and conventional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are common first-line treatments for menopause-related night sweats. However, these are often prescribed:

• Without comprehensive hormone testing
• Without evaluating thyroid or adrenal health
• Without considering blood sugar, gut, or liver function

This “one-size-fits-all” approach may help some women short term—but for many, it misses the mark entirely and may introduce new side effects or dependencies.

Temporary Symptom Relief, Not Root-Cause Healing

While conventional therapies may mask night sweats, they rarely answer the question: why is this happening in the first place?

Without addressing underlying imbalances—such as estrogen detox overload, cortisol dysregulation, or nutrient depletion—symptoms often return or worsen over time.

Women deserve more than symptom suppression. They deserve care that explores and corrects the deeper imbalances at play.

Potential Side Effects from Medications or Synthetic Hormones

Many women are cautious about traditional hormone therapy, and rightly so. Synthetic HRT has been linked to increased risks of:

• Blood clots
• Stroke
• Breast cancer
• Mood changes
• Weight gain or bloating

Similarly, long-term use of antidepressants can affect libido, emotional flatness, and sleep architecture—sometimes creating more problems than they solve.

That’s why Dr. Wafaa Matti’s approach is different: she uses functional testing, plant-based therapies, and bioidentical hormones (when appropriate) to balance your system naturally, gently, and effectively.

Natural Remedies for Night Sweats

Herbal Medicine

Certain herbs can support hormone balance and reduce the frequency and intensity of night sweats, especially in perimenopausal and menopausal women. These include:

• Black Cohosh – One of the most researched herbs for menopause; may reduce hot flashes and improve sleep.
• Chasteberry (Vitex agnus-castus) – Regulates luteinizing hormone (LH) and supports progesterone levels.
• Sage – Has natural astringent and cooling properties; traditionally used to manage sweating and hot flashes.
• Red Clover – Contains phytoestrogens, plant-based compounds that mimic estrogen in the body.

These herbs act as hormone modulators, supporting the body’s own rhythms rather than overriding them.

Adaptogens for Adrenal Support

Night sweats often worsen during times of high stress or adrenal exhaustion. That’s where adaptogenic herbs come in—they help the body better respond to stress and regulate cortisol, your stress hormone.

Top adaptogens include:

• Ashwagandha – Calms the nervous system, improves sleep, and reduces cortisol spikes.
• Rhodiola – Enhances mental stamina and stabilizes energy levels.
• Holy Basil (Tulsi) – Balances blood sugar and supports emotional resilience.

Dr. Matti uses these herbs strategically to restore balance to the HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal), a system often overlooked in conventional care.

Nutritional Therapy

Your diet plays a huge role in how your body handles hormonal transitions, stress, and detoxification. Certain nutrients are particularly beneficial for women experiencing night sweats:

• Magnesium – Supports adrenal function, relaxes muscles, and promotes restful sleep.
• Vitamin B6 – Enhances estrogen metabolism and neurotransmitter production.
• Vitamin E – Shown in some studies to reduce hot flashes.
• Omega-3s – Reduce inflammation and stabilize mood.

Alongside supplementation, Dr. Matti encourages eating whole foods that:

• Stabilize blood sugar (e.g., protein + fiber at every meal)
• Reduce inflammation (e.g., leafy greens, flaxseeds, wild-caught salmon)
• Promote detox (e.g., cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower)

She also advises avoiding or reducing common triggers such as:

• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Spicy or processed foods

These can all spike cortisol, disrupt thermoregulation, or burden your liver—worsening night sweats.

Lifestyle Interventions

Many women underestimate the power of simple lifestyle changes in cooling night sweats and improving sleep quality. Dr. Matti coaches her patients on practical, sustainable adjustments like:

• Cooling your sleep space – Invest in breathable sheets, cooling pillows, or a fan
• Wearing light, moisture-wicking pajamas
• Meditation, yoga, and breathwork – These regulate the parasympathetic nervous system and reduce cortisol
• Consistent hydration – Dehydration can strain your adrenals and worsen symptoms
• Evening wind-down rituals – Dimming lights, avoiding screens, and practicing gratitude can cue your body into a deeper rest cycle

These habits may seem small, but when practiced consistently, they shift your nervous system into a more balanced, restorative state.

Detox and Liver Support

Your liver is responsible for metabolizing and eliminating used-up hormones. If your detox pathways are sluggish, estrogen and other hormone metabolites can recirculate and trigger heat symptoms—including night sweats.

Dr. Matti supports this critical system with:

• Liver-supportive herbs like milk thistle, dandelion root, and burdock
• Detoxification-focused nutrition rich in fiber, greens, and bitters
• Gut health protocols to ensure proper hormone excretion via the digestive tract

When the liver and gut are supported, hormone metabolism becomes more efficient, and nighttime heat disruptions diminish naturally.

You Deserve Restful, Restorative Sleep

Night sweats don’t have to be your new normal. Whether you’re entering menopause, facing stress-related symptoms, or navigating hormonal chaos, you deserve to sleep peacefully and wake up energized.

Dr. Wafaa Matti, NMD offers a compassionate, integrative path forward. With deep clinical insight, functional lab testing, and a toolbox full of natural therapies—from herbal support to nutrition, detox, and hormone balancing—she helps you treat the root cause of night sweats, not just the surface symptoms.

You don’t have to suffer in silence. Relief is possible. Rest is possible. Healing is possible—and it begins with personalized care.

Take the Next Step Toward Hormonal Balance

📍 Visit Us:
324 Encinitas Blvd, Encinitas, CA 92024
Inside the Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine

📞 Call for Appointments: 760-274-2377
💻 Email: dr.wafaamatti.nd@gmail.com
📱 Follow for Wellness Tips & Inspiration:
Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

‍