Cooling Products I Actually Use for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats

Is there anything more frustrating than being perfectly comfortable one minute and absolutely roasting the next? Everyone else in the room is fine, and you’re contemplating sticking your head in the freezer.

Hot flashes have a mind of their own. They don’t care if you’re trying to sleep, getting ready for church, sitting at your desk, or attempting to look somewhat put-together in public. When one hits, you just want to cool down fast.

I’ve tried quite a few ways to stay cooler over the years, and some have definitely been more useful than others. I own the Shark ChillPill, a Chilipad 1.0, REST cooling bedding, and I’ve also just ordered another pair of Soma Cool Nights pajamas.

None of these products treats the cause of hot flashes or night sweats. They’re simply things that may help you feel more comfortable when you’re overheated. If you’re experiencing new, severe, or unexplained hot flashes or night sweats, that’s something I’d mention to your healthcare provider.

Thankfully, we have more options these days than standing directly in front of the air conditioner. Lol. Some cooling products work on the spot, while others are meant to make your bed and sleepwear more comfortable all night.

I’m starting with the products I actually own because those are the ones I can speak about personally. Then I’ll show you a few other cooling options at different price points.

Cooling Products I Own and Use

Shark ChillPill 3-in-1 Personal Cooling System

Now we’re getting serious! I own the Shark ChillPill, and this is a completely different idea from simply pointing a little fan at your face.

It has three cooling options: a bladeless fan, a fine mist, and an InstaChill cooling plate that you can press directly against your skin. Shark says the cooling plate can lower skin temperature by up to 16 degrees in seconds under its testing conditions.

That cooling plate is what really caught my attention. When you’re suddenly hot, being able to put something cold against your neck or wrist sounds much more appealing than waiting for the entire room to cool down.

The fan has multiple speed settings, and the ChillPill can also be used in a hands-free tabletop position, so it isn’t limited to hot flashes. I could see using it at my desk, on the screened porch, while traveling, or anytime summer decides it needs to remind us who’s boss.

I especially like the idea of cooling me instead of changing the thermostat for the whole house. If Joe is perfectly comfortable while I’m roasting, this might save us from another round of thermostat negotiations. Lol.

Chilipad 1.0

She bought a Chilipad first and loved it so much that Joe and I eventually had to give it a try. Now Joe wouldn’t trade ours for anything.

Unlike sheets or a comforter that are made from cooling fabrics, the Chilipad is an active bed-cooling system. It uses water to control the temperature of the mattress pad, so you’re actually changing the temperature of the sleeping surface. That’s a big distinction.

The Chilipad 1.0 can be set to cool or warm the bed, which also makes it useful if one of you sleeps hot and the other person is perfectly happy with the temperature in the bedroom.

This is obviously a much bigger investment than a cooling towel or a pair of pajamas. But if nighttime overheating is your biggest complaint, I think an active bed-cooling system is worth knowing about.

And since Joe wouldn’t willingly give ours up, I’d say it’s made itself right at home at our house.

REST Evercool Cooling Comforter

Here’s probably the easiest way for me to explain how much I like my REST® Evercool® Cooling Comforter: I own one, and I ended up buying one for each of my three children. I don’t usually buy the same fairly expensive bedding for three different households unless I think it’s pretty darn good.

The first thing you notice about the Evercool Comforter is the fabric. It has a smooth, cool-to-the-touch feel instead of the warm, fluffy feeling you normally associate with a comforter.

REST says its Evercool fabric is designed to draw moisture away and release trapped heat, but what matters most to me is that it still feels like bedding. You aren’t sleeping under some strange contraption just because you’re trying to stay cool.

I also like having an option that doesn’t require plugging anything in. If you’re a hot sleeper but aren’t ready to invest in something like the Chilipad, changing your bedding might be a much easier place to start.

REST Evercool Cooling Sheets

I also own the REST Evercool cooling sheets, so I’ve used the cooling bedding together rather than judging the comforter all by itself. The sheets have that same smooth, cool-to-the-touch feel. REST designed the fabric to disperse heat and wick moisture rather than trapping warmth against your body.

For me, this is where cooling bedding makes the most sense. Your body is touching the fitted sheet all night, so if you’re someone who wakes up hot or sweaty, the fabric closest to your skin matters.

You certainly don’t have to buy every piece of cooling bedding at once. If you want to experiment, I’d start with whichever piece of bedding bothers you most and go from there.

Soma Cool Nights Pajamas

I just ordered the Soma Cool Nights Piped Short Sleeve Notch Collar Pajama Top and Solid Piped Pajama Pants.

Soma Cool Nights fabric is made from lightweight rayon with a little stretch. It’s designed to feel cool to the touch and not cling to your body, which is exactly what I want from pajamas when I’m sleeping hot.

I haven’t worn this particular set yet, so I’ll come back and update you once I’ve had a chance to sleep in it. I’m not going to tell you something is wonderful before I’ve actually put it through the pajama test. Lol.

I do think pajamas are one of the easiest places to start if you’re waking up hot. Heavy sleepwear can make a bad situation worse, and this doesn’t require buying a new mattress, bedding system, or gadget.

A Wearable Cooling Option for Hot Flashes

Embr Wave 2 Thermal Wristband

I haven’t personally tried the Embr Wave 2, so I want to make that clear right up front. I’m including it because this one is particularly interesting for women dealing with hot flashes. It’s a wearable thermal device that sits against the inside of your wrist and provides cooling or warming sensations.

It’s also unusual because the technology has actually been studied in women experiencing hot flashes. Some small studies have reported reductions in hot-flash frequency, severity, or how much the flashes interfered with daily life.

That doesn’t mean I’d consider it a treatment for hot flashes, and the research is still limited. I look at it more as another comfort option, especially for someone who wants something small and wearable rather than carrying a fan.

It is pricey, though. For that reason, this wouldn’t be my first suggestion if you’re simply looking for an inexpensive way to cool down.

Less Expensive Cooling Products to Try

You certainly don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to get some relief when you’re hot. Sometimes you just want something cold on your neck, and you want it NOW.

These next products are much less expensive, although I haven’t personally tried each one.

Cooling Pillows

If you spend half the night flipping your pillow over looking for the cool side, a cooling pillow may be one of the simplest changes to try. Unlike an active cooling system, there’s nothing to plug in, charge, refill, or remember to turn on. You just use it like a regular pillow.

I wouldn’t expect a cooling pillow to transform the temperature of your entire bed, but if your head and neck are the first places you notice yourself getting hot, it could be an easy place to start.

And it doesn’t require turning the bedroom into a meat locker, which your spouse may appreciate.

Ella Jayne Cool N’ Comfort Pillows

Another option is the Ella Jayne Cool N’ Comfort Pillows. These are made for sleepers who want a cooler-feeling pillow without adding another gadget to the nightstand.

I like the simplicity of cooling bedding in general. There’s no noise and no fan blowing directly on you. If you tend to wake up hot and then get cold five minutes after throwing all the covers on the floor, something that helps make the bed itself more comfortable might be worth trying.

Cooling Towels

You can’t get much simpler than a cooling towel. Wet it, wring it out, and place it around your neck when you’re walking, gardening, exercising, sitting at an outdoor ballgame, or just trying to cool yourself down.

These are also easy to toss into a tote, suitcase, or gym bag. I could see keeping one in the car during the summer because you never know when you’re going to need it.

For the price, this is probably one of the easiest cooling products on the list to experiment with before moving up to more expensive gadgets.

GPX Portable Neck Fan

A neck fan may not be the most glamorous accessory I’ve ever recommended, but when the back of your neck feels approximately 400 degrees, I’m guessing coordinating with your outfit drops pretty far down the priority list. Lol.

The GPX Portable Neck Fan is rechargeable and gives you several airflow settings without having to hold a fan in your hand. This is the kind of product I’d consider for walking, sightseeing, gardening, outdoor concerts, grandkids’ sporting events, or travel.

A wearable fan also has an advantage over a traditional handheld fan because your hands are still free. That might not sound terribly exciting until you’re carrying a purse, sunglasses, phone, water bottle, and three other things at the same time.

Cold Factor Cooling Headband

If you’re walking, playing pickleball or tennis, gardening, or spending time outside on a hot day, a Cold Factor Cooling Headband is another inexpensive option. The headbands are designed to provide cooling when wet, and they’re easy enough to tuck into a bag when you’re heading outside.

This isn’t something I’d buy specifically as a nighttime solution. I see it more as a practical outdoor option for anyone who gets overheated easily.

Did you find something helpful in today’s post? Share it with a friend or save it to Pinterest so you can find it again later. That simple click also helps more women over 50 discover our little corner of the internet, and I truly appreciate it.

Are You One Of The GURLS?

Join the Gurls and get my newest posts delivered straight to your inbox. I’ll share everyday outfit ideas, honest fit details, beauty finds, and a little life along the way.

To GOD Goes The Glory!

Verse Of The Day

Psalm 8:1 (NIV)
¹ Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
    in the heavens.