Best Tea for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats

The best teas for hot flashes and night sweats are red clover, black cohosh, and licorice root. Red clover's isoflavones reduced hot flash frequency in a meta-analysis, black cohosh preparations reduced menopause symptoms by 26% in another, and licorice reduced the frequency and duration of hot flashes in a randomized trial. Serve them warm, not hot. [1] [2] [3]

Hot flashes are the most common symptom of the menopause transition, and they often strike hardest at night as night sweats, which is why they wreck sleep. [4]

What Does a Hot Flash Feel Like?

A sudden wave of heat spreading through the chest, neck, and face, often with flushed skin, sweating, and a racing heart, followed by a chill as it passes. Most last 1 to 5 minutes. At night, the same wave becomes a night sweat that can soak your sheets.

Why Do Hot Flashes Happen at Night?

Falling and fluctuating estrogen narrows the brain's comfortable temperature range, so small changes in body heat trigger a flush. At night, warm bedding and the body's natural temperature rhythm make it easier to tip over that edge. [4]

The Best Teas for Hot Flashes

1. Red Clover Tea

Red clover is rich in isoflavones that gently echo estrogen's signal. A systematic review and meta-analysis found red clover reduced the frequency of hot flashes. [1] More in Red Clover Tea.

2. Black Cohosh Tea

The most widely used menopause herb in North America. A meta-analysis of clinical trials found black cohosh preparations reduced menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, by 26%. [2] More in Black Cohosh Tea.

3. Licorice Root Tea

In a randomized trial of menopausal women, licorice root reduced both the frequency and duration of hot flashes. [3] Keep it moderate, and avoid it if you have high blood pressure. See Licorice Root Tea.

4. Chamomile Tea for Night Sweats

Chamomile does not stop the flush, but it helps you fall back to sleep after it. A 2024 meta-analysis found chamomile improved sleep, especially staying asleep. [5] Find it in: Sleep Restore.

Ruby Radiance: Three Hot Flash Herbs in One Cup

Ruby Radiance combines red clover, black cohosh, and licorice root with ginkgo, eleuthero, and cinnamon bark, caffeine-free and naturally sweetened with stevia. For nights, pair it with Sleep Restore in the Second Bloom bundle.

Brew tip: steep it hot, then let it cool to warm, or pour it over ice. Very hot drinks can set off a flush.

Foods That Help Fight Hot Flashes

• Soy foods (tofu, edamame, soy milk): rich in isoflavones, like red clover. [6]
• Flaxseed: rich in plant lignans.
• Chickpeas and lentils: more plant isoflavones, plus fibre.
• Leafy greens and whole grains: steady blood sugar, fewer spikes.
• Cold water and cooling fruits like watermelon and cucumber.
  

Triggers That Make Hot Flashes Worse

• Caffeine: keep coffee and black tea to the morning.
• Alcohol, especially red wine.
• Spicy food.
• Very hot drinks.
• A warm bedroom and heavy bedding.
• Stress: try slow breathing, in for 4 and out for 6, at the first sign of a flush.

Night Sweat Relief: A Bedtime Routine

1. Cool the room to about 18°C (65°F) and use breathable cotton sheets.
2. Skip alcohol and spicy food at dinner.
3. Drink a warm, caffeine-free tea 45 minutes before bed: Ruby Radiance or Sleep Restore.
4. Keep cold water by the bed.
5. Layer your bedding so you can kick one layer off.

When to See a Doctor

See your doctor if hot flashes or night sweats are severe or disrupt daily life, start outside the menopause years, or come with fever, weight loss, or other new symptoms. Hormone therapy and other treatments are options worth discussing.

 

The Avodah Moment: A Cool Cup and a Slow Breath

Avodah means devotion and service. A hot flash in the middle of a meeting, a school run or a night's sleep can make you feel out of control of your own body.

Take some control back with a ritual. Brew your Ruby Radiance in the evening and let it cool to just warm. Sit by an open window. Breathe slowly. Sip. A small daily act of care, for a season that asks a lot of you.

You cannot pour from an empty cup. This is where you fill yours.

Shop Ruby Radiance | Shop the Second Bloom Bundle

More: Tea for Menopause: The Complete Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best tea for hot flashes?

Red clover, black cohosh, and licorice root, served warm rather than hot. Ruby Radiance combines all three.

What tea helps night sweats?

Red clover and black cohosh for the flushes, and chamomile to help you fall back asleep after one.

What foods fight hot flashes?

Soy foods, flaxseed, chickpeas, lentils, leafy greens, and cooling fruits like watermelon.

What drinks make hot flashes worse?

Caffeine, alcohol, and very hot drinks.

Why are hot flashes worse at night?

Falling estrogen narrows the body's comfortable temperature range, and warm bedding and the body's night-time temperature rhythm make a flush easier to trigger.

How long do hot flashes last?

Each flush usually lasts 1 to 5 minutes. Hot flashes can continue for several years across the menopause transition.

Your day. Your tea. Your Avodah Moment.

References

1.          Ghazanfarpour M, Sadeghi R, Roudsari RL, et al. Red clover for treatment of hot flashes and menopausal symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Obstet Gynaecol. 2016;36(3):301-311.

2.          Shams T, Setia MS, Hemmings R, McCusker J, Sewitch M, Ciampi A. Efficacy of black cohosh-containing preparations on menopausal symptoms: a meta-analysis. Altern Ther Health Med. 2010;16(1):36-44.

3.          Nahidi F, Zare E, Mojab F, Alavi-Majd H. Effects of licorice on relief and recurrence of menopausal hot flashes. Iran J Pharm Res. 2012;11(2):541-548.

4.          Baker FC, Lampio L, Saaresranta T, Polo-Kantola P. Sleep and sleep disorders in the menopausal transition. Sleep Med Clin. 2018;13(3):443-456.

5.          Kazemi A, Shojaei-Zarghani S, Eskandarzadeh P, Hashempur MH. Effects of chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) on sleep: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. Complement Ther Med. 2024;84:103071.

6.          Taku K, Melby MK, Kronenberg F, Kurzer MS, Messina M. Extracted or synthesized soybean isoflavones reduce menopausal hot flash frequency and severity: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Menopause. 2012;19(7):776-790.