October is Menopause Awareness Month, and World Menopause Day falls on October 18. If you're reading this at 3 a.m. after kicking off the duvet (again), welcome. You're in very good company.
Over twenty-plus years in our Edmonton-area stores, we've heard a lot of night sweat stories, usually told in a whisper by the fitting room. That's slowly changing, and we love that. Canadian women are talking about menopause more openly than ever. So this month we're adding our voice, from the place we know best: your bed.
The conversation in Canada is getting louder (finally)
If it feels like menopause is suddenly everywhere in the news, that's because it is. A few recent stories worth your time:
- It's costing women real money. In September, The Globe and Mail looked at the financial side of menopause: exhaustion, brain fog and night sweats can affect careers, income and savings, not just sleep.
- Workplaces are being asked to step up. CTV News reported this summer on calls for better menopause support at work across Canada, including accommodations for symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats.
- There are more treatment options. In August, Global News (The Canadian Press) reported that Health Canada expanded approval of elinzanetant, a non-hormonal drug for hot flashes and night sweats that was first approved for menopausal women in 2025.
The Menopause Foundation of Canada reports that 95% of women experience menopause symptoms, with an average of seven each, and that almost half feel unprepared for perimenopause. If you've ever felt blindsided, that's why. It isn't you.
Why night sweats happen (the short version)
Chatelaine has a great explainer. When estrogen drops, the part of your brain that manages body temperature gets jumpy and can set off a sudden wave of heat, even when the room is cool. These vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes and night sweats) affect about 75% of people in menopause, and they can last for years.
At night, that means waking up warm, damp and wide awake. Then you're cold, because now your pyjamas are wet. Then you're warm again. Sound familiar?
Chatelaine's guide to sleep during menopause is worth a read too. It covers how many things can be behind midlife sleep trouble and why it's worth talking to your doctor about what's going on.
A quick note from us: we're sleepwear experts, not doctors. If hot flashes or night sweats are wrecking your sleep or your days, please talk to your healthcare provider. There are more good options today than ever. What we can help with is what you're wearing when your head hits the pillow.
Where bamboo comes in
What you sleep in matters more than most people think. Here's why so many of our customers going through menopause end up as bamboo devotees:
- It breathes. Bamboo viscose is light and airy, so heat can escape instead of getting trapped against your skin.
- It wicks moisture. When a night sweat hits, bamboo pulls moisture away from your body. Cotton tends to soak it up and hold on, which leaves you clammy and chilled.
- It dries faster. Less time lying in damp fabric means a better shot at falling back asleep.
- It's ridiculously soft. Silky, drapey and gentle on skin that can get more sensitive in midlife. Honestly, this is the part that makes people never go back.
Think of it as the difference between sleeping in a cozy sweater and sleeping in a cool breeze. Both are lovely. Only one is what you need at 2 a.m. in the middle of a hot flash.
Our favourite menopause-friendly pieces
Our in-house brand, Georgia Rylan, was designed with hot sleepers in mind. It's made from OEKO-TEX® certified bamboo viscose in prints that feel like a little treat every time you get dressed for bed. A few favourites:
- Tank and short sets give you maximum airflow and are the coolest silhouette we make. Try the Dreamy Blooms Tank/Short Bamboo PJ Set.
- Flutter sleeves keep fabric off the upper arm while still looking polished. See the Blueberry Flutter Sleeve Top/Short Set.
- Nightgowns are the most breathable option if you hate anything at your waist. We love the Flutter Bamboo Nightgown in Midnight Teal. Browse all bamboo nightgowns.
- A bamboo robe is for the moments between. Shop bamboo robes & cooling sleep wraps.
Want to see everything in one place? Our Bamboo Pajamas for Menopause Relief & Cooling Sleepwear collection has it all.
A few more cool-sleep tips from the shop floor
- Layer your bed, not your body. Light pyjamas plus a throw you can push off beats one heavy duvet.
- Keep a backup set on the nightstand. If you do wake up damp, a quick change can be the difference between dozing off again and staring at the ceiling.
- Go short in winter too. Our Alberta customers swear by shorts and tanks year-round. A cold bedroom with cool pyjamas is the dream.
- Treat yourself like it matters. Because it does. Good sleep isn't an indulgence. It's how you get through the rest of it.
This month, be gentle with yourself
Menopause Awareness Month is a reminder that none of this is in your head, and none of it is something you just have to put up with. Talk to your doctor, talk to your friends, and treat yourself to something soft. We'll be here, in store and online, ready to help you find the pyjamas that let you sleep through the night again.
Come see us at any of our three Edmonton-area shops, or shop online. We ship across Canada and around the world.
With love (and a cool pillow - like our bamboo ones),
The Cloud Nine Pajamas team
