Hot flashes and fabrics: what to wear so you aren't a pool of sweat
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You might be wondering how fabric can have such a significant effect on something that is purely biological in nature. It all comes down to science, particularly, biology, chemistry and physics. Who knew fabric could be so complex?
How the wrong fabrics make your comfort worse
There are certain fabrics that lock in heat and moisture. These types of fabrics can actually make your hot flashes and night sweats even worse.
Let's say you have a hot flash - and you are a chronic sufferer meaning you experience several per day or night and sometimes with very little time in between. Your internal thermostat is sending incorrect signals to your body telling it that you need to cool down stat! even if you are perfectly comfortable. So, your glands open, sweat pours out, your heart starts racing, pumping blood to your extremities trying to cool your core down as quickly as it can.
All that heat and sweat that your body is producing has to go somewhere.
But if you're wearing the WRONG FABRICS they will work against you by trapping the heat and sweat either in the fabric itself or on your skin.
If your clothing doesn't allow the heat to escape, your body will sense the heat and the next thing you know, you're having another hot flash - producing more sweat and more heat. It can become utterly unbearable.
You might be wondering what the best and worst fabrics for hot flashes are. While the answer is not as simple as "wear bamboo or cotton" - which is a common internet theme (it's not exactly wrong, but it's not completely accurate either), bamboo and cotton do have their place in your wardrobe.
Let's get into specific fabrics, what works, and what doesn't.
The worst fabrics for trapping heat and sweat
Number 1 on your list to avoid is polyester. The exception is polyester that was specifically made to moderate heat usually found in athleticwear and moisture and menopause clothing. There are tons of other reasons not to wear polyester as well, you can read this article to find out more. Polyester is made from petroleum - which becomes a non-breathable, non-moisture absorbing fabric. It's almost like wrapping yourself in plastic wrap, which if your temperature is erratic, and you're feeling hot and cold all the time, will become incredibly uncomfortable.
- Acrylic
- Spandex and Elastane (acceptable when blended with other fabrics and is a minor component)
- Nylon not made to moderate heat and moisture
- Any synthetic fleece or satin
- Microfibre unless made for moisture-wicking and heat management
You might be surprised to discover that there are a few natural fabrics that also work to trap heat and moisture:
- Silk
- Wool (summer-weight Merino wool might work for you)
- Thick cotton
What happens when you wear these fabrics that trap heat and sweat next to you?
- Your body will stay overheated because the clothes are preventing the heat and/or moisture from escaping,
- Your clothes will not dry quickly so you will be stuck in uncomfortable, damp clothes,
- Your anxiety and stress levels may increase if wearing hot, uncomfortable clothes which in turn can increase the number of hot flashes.
What are the best fabrics for hot flashes?
These fabrics will help you stay more comfortable
- Hemp/cotton blends (55%/45%). (Yes, we're totally biased).
- Linen and linen/cotton blends (55%/45%).
- Tencel fabric.
- Merino wool - summer weight.
- Specialty nylon fabrics made for managing hot flashes.
- Specialty poly-cotton blend fabrics made for managing hot flashes.
Some adequate fabrics for hot flashes are:
- Rayon, including Bamboo Viscose.
- Mercerized cotton - as a layer.
- Modal
100% cotton
Cotton is soft and breathable and we all love wearing cotton, especially as a knit (ie., t-shirt fabric). BUT, cotton loves water. Cotton will grab that water molecule and hang onto it for dear life. If you're wearing a cotton camisole or t-shirt, you may find that during a hot flash you're sitting in uncomfortable damp clothing for longer than you would think is reasonable. It's one of the main reasons you no longer see cotton t-shirts in the gym (I'm dating myself, I know, but I do remember the majority of gym clothing was 100% cotton back in the day).
Cotton as an outer layer
Because cotton is so absorbent, it draws any moisture away from an inner layer super fast. So, where you DO want to wear cotton is as a cardigan or other top layer. That is, if you can stand to wear a second layer.
Wearing a cotton cammy is probably not ideal. Wear cotton as your last layer. It will grab all that moisture from the layer below and draw it to the outside where it will evaporate.
How to layer your clothes for hot flashes
This brings up an important point - it's not just the types of fabrics you choose - it's also about how you layer them.
Ideal first layers are light, moisture-wicking and are worn loose to lightly hugging your body. Layers that touch your skin will be able to pull that heat and moisture away as it's produced while loose fitting garments allow for air circulation. It's an individual choice.
Ideal first layer (excluding underwear) is:
- Hemp/cotton blend
- Linen/cotton blend
- 100% linen
- Tencel
- Tencel blend with cotton (NOT blended with polyester)
- Light, summer-weight Merino wool - with Merino wool as a first layer, you may never need a second layer - Wool is highly insulating and will retain more heat than the other fabrics, so less is definitely more with Merino wool.
Best second layer
- Cotton
- 100% hemp or linen
- Hemp/cotton blends
- Linen/cotton blends
- Light, summer-weight Merino wool
Best third layer
- If you find that you need a third layer, you might want to wear a pashmina scarf or light wool or linen shall that you can adjust when necessary.
How to wear rayon and Modal when you have hot flashes
Rayon and Modal are semi-synthetic fabrics made from a wood substrate - usually beech trees, and rayon is often made from bamboo - known as bamboo rayon or viscose (depending on the process).
These fabrics can be adequate first layers provided you have a second absorbent layer right next to it such as cotton, wool, linen or hemp.
I know I sound like a broken record, but cotton loves water and will draw it away quickly. As a second layer, it also provides some insulation to help with the chills and keep some of the heat in as rayon and modal tend not to be very powerful heat managers, mostly because they are thinner fabrics.
Good second layer fabrics if wearing rayon are:
- hemp blends
- linen and linen blends
- Tencel and Tencel blends (not blended with Polyester)
- Merino wool (summer weight)
Fabric weight
In addition to considering the type of fabric you're wearing, you also need to consider the weight of the fabric. The fabric weight will be influenced by the yarn density as well as how tightly woven or knit the fabric is.
All this to say, you can feel a fabric and probably get a sense of whether or not it's going to make you break out into a sweat.
When I had terrible night sweats, I couldn't wear my cashmere, Icelandic, or irish knit sweaters, even during the day. I would overheat - but not get a hot flash.
I also couldn't wear thick cotton t-shirts, or any thick fabric for that matter.
We strongly recommend shopping for clothes in person or asking internet clothing providers for sample fabric if it's available. You'll know by the feel whether it will work for you.
What happens when you wear the right fabrics for hot flashes
If wearing the wrong fabrics can make your hot flashes worse, then wearing the right fabrics may help reduce the number of hot flashes you have. If your clothes can manage moisture and heat well and you are lightly damp or dry within minutes of a hot flash, your body can recover faster.
This is where your mind can also work for you - a positive mind set, knowing that your clothes are dry and comfortable can reduce anxiety and stress regarding what you are wearing, which in turn, can reduce a common hot flash trigger. The more confident you are about what you are wearing, the less hot flashes may bother you.
I hope this article has given you the information you need to know what type of fabrics to wear and in what order when you have chronic hot flashes. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them in the comments section.
