Does sweet potato help with night sweats during perimenopause?

Night sweats during perimenopause are driven by the same hypothalamic thermoregulation disruption that causes hot flashes, triggered by falling and fluctuating oestrogen. Sweet potato has no direct evidence of reducing night sweats and contains no phytoestrogens. However, several of its nutritional properties may reduce the frequency or intensity of night sweats through indirect mechanisms that are worth understanding.

Blood glucose stability and nocturnal sympathetic activation

One of the more clinically relevant dietary connections to night sweats is blood glucose. When blood sugar drops during the night, the body responds by releasing adrenaline and cortisol to restore glucose levels. These stress hormones elevate core body temperature and trigger sweating as part of the sympathetic nervous system response. Women who eat high-GI evening meals or who skip dinner are more likely to experience these nocturnal glucose dips. Sweet potato's complex carbohydrates support a steadier overnight glucose level, reducing the likelihood of adrenaline-driven temperature spikes during sleep. Including sweet potato as part of an evening meal may therefore modestly reduce the frequency of sweating episodes that have a blood sugar trigger.

Anti-inflammatory background

Chronic low-grade inflammation lowers the thermoregulatory threshold in the hypothalamus, meaning the body initiates a cooling response at a lower temperature difference. Sweet potato is rich in beta-carotene, one of the most abundant dietary antioxidants. Stahl and Sies (2012) documented the antioxidant properties of carotenoids in human tissue, and a consistent anti-inflammatory dietary pattern is associated with reduced inflammatory markers that affect thermoregulation. Purple sweet potato varieties add anthocyanin-based NF-kB inhibition to this effect.

Potassium and fluid balance

Night sweats deplete electrolytes, and adequate baseline potassium supports fluid balance and the body's ability to regulate heat dissipation efficiently. Sweet potato is a meaningful potassium source. While potassium does not prevent sweating, adequate electrolyte status helps the body manage the fluid shifts that accompany temperature regulation.

Vitamin B6 and stress hormone modulation

B6 is involved in the synthesis of GABA, the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. Adequate GABA activity helps moderate sympathetic nervous system tone, which is relevant to the nocturnal stress activation that can amplify vasomotor symptoms. Sweet potato's B6 contribution supports GABA production as part of the broader neurotransmitter ecosystem.

Fiber and microbiome effects on oestrogen

The fiber in sweet potato supports a gut microbiome that handles oestrogen enterohepatic circulation appropriately. While the effect size on vasomotor symptoms from dietary fiber is modest, a healthy microbiome is part of the overall hormonal environment.

Practical approach

Include sweet potato in your evening meal two to three times per week. Eat it with protein and healthy fats to further moderate the glucose response overnight. Keep the bedroom cool, avoid alcohol in the evening (a well-established night sweat trigger), and limit caffeine after midday. These environmental and dietary strategies combined tend to produce more effect than any single food alone.

Tracking night sweats

Note frequency and severity of night sweats alongside what you ate for dinner, alcohol intake, and stress levels. PeriPlan allows you to log symptoms and patterns over time, which helps identify whether dietary changes are having a measurable effect after four to six weeks.

When to see a doctor

Night sweats that are soaking your clothes or bedding, that prevent you from sleeping, or that are accompanied by other symptoms such as unexplained weight loss, fever during the day, or swollen lymph nodes should be medically evaluated. While most night sweats in this age group are perimenopausal, other causes including thyroid disorders, infections, and lymphoma can also cause them. If night sweats are severely disrupting sleep, hormone therapy is the most effective treatment and a conversation with your healthcare provider is worthwhile.

This content is for informational purposes only and does not replace medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider about your specific situation.