How to Sleep With Hot FlashesHow to Fall Back Asleep After a Hot Flash
By the Good Sleep team · October 22, 2026
Short answer: let the heat out (uncover, cool side of the pillow), get dry, sip water, then breathe slowly with the lights off. Skip the phone and the clock. If you're still awake after about 20 minutes, get up briefly in dim light.
The 5-step routine
- Uncover. Push the covers off and let the flash pass. Most last a few minutes.
- Get dry. Change into the dry top on your nightstand; flip or remove a damp pillow towel.
- Sip water. Small sips; a big drink means another wake-up later.
- Re-cover lightly before the chill sets in.
- Breathe slowly: in for about 4, out for about 6, for several minutes.
What not to do
- Don't check the time. Calculating how much sleep is left wakes your brain up.
- Don't scroll. Bright light and news are the opposite of sleepy.
- Don't turn on the overhead light. A dim nightlight is enough.
If you can't drift off
Cleveland Clinic's insomnia guidance suggests getting out of bed if you're awake for a long stretch and doing something calm in dim light until you feel sleepy, so bed stays linked with sleep.
Make the next one easier
A cool sleep surface means there's less heat to shed when the next flash comes. Good Sleep walks through this on its sleeping with menopause page. Room-temperature tips are in this menopause sleep guide.
When to see a doctor
If hot flashes wake you most nights or you feel exhausted during the day, talk to your doctor about treatment. Effective options exist.