Thursday, January 19, 2023

In the Heat of the Night

They often begin ~9:30, which is about an hour before I retire for the night. I don’t know why I begin to experience heat surges around that time, but they have been occurring fairly regularly recently and can last for hours.

It is difficult to know how to deal with them. Yes, I can and do open windows, as I did, even when outdoor temperatures dropped to -18C/-1F on two consecutive nights. (By the way, those are the only two nights that caused the furnace to kick in. We have the nighttime thermostat set to only activate at 15C/59F, and up until those nights, the indoor temperature had remained above 15, and therefore, the furnace had remained asleep.)

The heat waves are difficult for me to deal with, for the heat is internal and not reliant on the ambient temperature. But one tries regardless, so I open the windows and remain as uncovered as possible. But my reality is that I do have to stay lightly covered even in simmer, for air on my skin at night is an unpleasant sensation for me. This is partly because I have some sensitive cold spots on my shoulders and shins and partly because I am weird. 

Anyway, the point is that when I open the windows to cool the house, my bodily stupidity is such that I still have to keep myself covered to some degree. 

I did that last night and fell asleep in my chair just in my clothes and sans covers. even though the windows were a little bit open on a frigid night. When I moved to the bed an hour later, I pulled up the sheet but kicked aside the two blankets. A few hours later, I pulled up one blanket, and by morning, I had both of them over me, for the surges tend to subside as the night wears on. It's a very fine balance between warm and cool.

So far, I have just described heat surges, but night sweats can also be a problem, and it is not unusual for me to have to fumble about in the darkness to change my shirt in the middle of the night. This was happening so consistently, that, for the last week or so, I have made it a point to really cut back snacks and sugar intake. I have also abstained from evening munching. That seems to have helped the sweats: not entirely but largely. However, the heat surges remain.

Look up night sweats in men online, and you will find andropause as a probable cause. But really, I am 75, so my andro has surely been pausing for quite some time, and this problem is relatively recent — at least to the extent that I have been experiencing it recently. However,  I don’t know what else it can be because it is, apparently, not as connected to diet as I had supposed.

It is different during the day. Yesterday afternoon, I decided to give myself the opportunity to nap. It didn't work, but the point is the house was at a warmer daytime temperature; the windows were shut; and, I was also more covered than I had been the night before. There were no waves or sweats; there was only a very pleasant warmth.

If you have made it here to the end, I congratulate you for your dedication. I really shouldn’t have inflicted my personal problem on you, but, partly at least, one hopes that writing will lead to clarity and, perhaps, a solution. Alas! It doesn't seem to have worked.

18 comments:

Marie Smith said...

When my hot flashes were really bad, alcohol was a trigger for particularly bad bouts. A simple glass of wine could heat the house. This aging business is not for the feint of heart.

DJan said...

I hope you find out what is causing them. It can be very annoying not to be able to sleep well, I think. I like to be all snuggled up inside my comforter, with the window open. :-)

Boud said...

This is mysterious. Maybe talking about it here will trigger some more information. I think you'd really like management advice. I would in your place.

Ed said...

You certainly aren't making me look forward to my golden years. The one exception might be the savings on my winter heating bill as our thermostat gets sets to a comparatively balmy 65F at night. I would probably go colder but with a tropical island born wife, it is our compromise.

Barbara Rogers said...

No good advice here. Same with changing clothes in the middle of the night after a sweat wakes me up. I sometimes find the morning coffee actually warms me beyond my comfortable clothes. And I'm 5 years older and a woman! See, no good advice. But I will be grateful if you learn anything that is helpful! It is worthwhile paying attention to the needs and changes in our bodies...especially the ones that nobody is selling a drug for on TV!

Marcia said...

I assume you have had a conversation with your doctor about this but if not you should.
I have my annual physical tomorrow and one thing to discuss with doctor is light headedness and dizziness. Experiencing that right now.

Peace Thyme said...

This sounds like a really weird conundrum! I believe you should make a diary of symptoms and times and especially when this started and if it is every day or on the odd occasion. Odd occasion would be easier to diagnose. I don't really think it is age related or you would have read about it somewhere or someone you know would be suffering the same, don't you think? Every woman who has suffered through menopause knew at least one other woman going through the same thing at the same time. My advice? Off to the doctor with you!!

MARY G said...

JG has similar problems and he is in his early 80's. Hormones, as best the medical advice can comment. He keeps a spare shirt handy, and we use an electric blanket with only a light cover to keep it clean. That configuration is faster to adjust than blankets or duvet alone.
Women do this in their 50's. My doctor put me on hormone replacement and then tapered that to keep the reduction even. It worked, sort of.

DrumMajor said...

Have you started a new med or supplement? Some can cause some warmth. One of the ones I take in the morning makes me warmer within an hour. You could start your night on the porch, then come inside when your body comes to it's senses. Set an alarm out there! Good Luck, Linda in Kansas

Margaret said...

How about snuggling with a wrapped up ice pack? Before I got a heat pump, it's how I handled hot summer nights. I also need to be covered up by at least a sheet. Keeps me safe from the monsters. :)

Vicki Lane said...

Very strange and worrisome. I remember my grandfather regulating his heat by sticking a bare foot out from under the covers.

Jeanie said...

I find it interesting. My guess would have been male menopause given a few years younger. Like you, I tend to have at least a sheet on most nights except the hottest and most humid. Maybe it's my security thing!

The Furry Gnome said...

I seem to have the opposite problem, always feeling cold. Of course I also have a lot of pain once I lie down. I get some relief from a hot pad, but that wouldn't help you.

Red said...

The post didn't help you but it was an interesting informative post.

roentare said...

Temperature dysregulation is common as one gets older. Andropause is a theory but not proven at all by medical community. Apart from what you have done, mindfulness meditation is said to be helpful

William Kendall said...

Quite unusual.

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

No helpful advice to offer, but read all the previous comments and the consensus seems to be that you consult a medical professional, which you may or may not have already done. Overnight, here is always an open window here even in winter and even when traveling if possible to crack one open. Grenville says he needs “fresh air” to sleep.

Jenn Jilks said...

I totally agree. Writing it out does provide some clarity, if not perspective. When my dad was dying, I'd write down what happened every day, as JB was going in to feed him breakfast, and we'd go in to feed him dinner. That ended up in a book!

JB's andro has paused, as well, usually after his quarterly anti-andigen cancer treatments. I hear you! I can laugh with you, as I faced this, too. 'Cause you just have to laugh at the mysteries of our aging bodies.