Hot flashes are awful, so these menopausal moms designed pajamas to help symptoms

The hot flashes, to say the least, were unpleasant. A head-to-toe burning sensation. Body aches. Sweating at any given time. All compounded by the inability to get a full night’s sleep.

“You’re just soaking wet. I’d be getting up in the middle of the night, changing my clothes and my bed sheets, too,” Mindy Ford said. “And then I’d try to fall back asleep hoping I would not get another hot flash.”

The 51-year-old Indiana woman started experiencing hot flashes last year. So, too, did her longtime friend Laura Musall, 53. They both said their doctors lacked many answers on what to expect or how to deal with their menopause symptoms. The pair shared their experiences with other women going through similar struggles.

And from that journey came an idea, and from that idea came a product: breathable, comfortable pajamas for women going through menopause.

Literally through sweat and hard work CoolRevolution pajamas was born, and its arrival appears timely. Experts say the longtime stigma surrounding menopause and aging is starting to fade, and women are seeking ways to be more comfortable rather than relying on medication, which can add side effects to their woes.

The pair had looked in department stores and online for temperature-regulated clothing. But they couldn’t find any, at least not any made with cooling fabric or in the right sizes or that looked good.

The stigma around menopause

Menopause marks the permanent end of fertility for women. According to the North American Menopause Society, 6,000 women in the U.S. reach menopause each day, and 75 percent of them will have hot flashes. Menopause starts for women, on average, at age 51, and most often between ages 45 and 55.

Janet S. Carpenter, associate dean for research at Indiana University’s nursing school and an expert in menopausal hot flashes, said it’s not unusual for women in their early 30s and 40s to not know much or anything about menopause.

Mark Lee

She said that is because there always has been a stigma around menopause and women getting older.

“We talk to young girls about when their period is going to start, and we have a formal education system to do that,” Carpenter said. ”But for menopause, we don’t have anything similar, so a lot of women will hear from friends, their mom or other women going through it, or it takes them completely by surprise.”

And many people, not just women, are unaware that the most common symptom, the hot flashes, can last anywhere from seven to 10 years.

“So something like these pajamas isn’t something that women will buy and use for a few months,” Carpenter said. ”This is a whole lifestyle change that you might need to make when going through menopause.”

A growing market

By 2025, there will be more than 1 billion women experiencing menopause in the world, and as the stigma decreases, experts say there is room for growth in the market of menopause management.

The market goes beyond health care and prescribed medication. There also are telehealth clinics, apps and clothing, among other products.

Reenita Das, senior vice president of health care and life sciences at Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting and research firm, said Genneve, a telehealth clinic that connects women with health care providers and menopause trained professionals, raised $4 million in seed funding this year.

Another company, Joylux, which offers products to treat vaginal dryness, has raised $12.5 million in funding, $3.7 million alone this year.

Mark Lee

Apps like Lisa Health offer resources and information for women about menopause.

And in clothing, companies such as Softies and Cool-Jams also offer sleepwear for menopausal women similar to what CoolRevolution offers.

CoolRevolution pajamas

Although Musall and Ford knew they couldn’t prevent the hot flashes, they wanted to help women feel better with pajamas that came in different sizes and that were flattering for all body types.

“As women age, our bodies change, too. Sometimes we gain weight. Sometimes we lose weight,” Musall said. “We wanted to make pajamas that would help you feel and look good while going through this.”

CoolRevolution pajamas are made of natural fibers such as bamboo, which is breathable and sweat-absorbent, and the fabric is also antibacterial, which means the pajamas won’t smell after you sweat. The pajamas also have cotton and a bit of spandex for stretch.

The pajamas are available in T-shirts, tank tops, shorts, and sleep pants. They come in sizes from small to XXXL and in black, ginger, and twilight blue colors. The shirts and tanks are longer in the back, and the shorts and pants have pockets.

Kelly Cody, 53, of Fishers has been dealing with hot flashes for five years. She doesn’t leave the house without a fan, she said.

She bought two sets of CoolRevolution pajamas.

“Hot flashes are terrible. They are the worst. I get them randomly no matter what the weather is like,” Cody said. ”You just don’t get wet in these pajamas, and they’re cooling and not restrictive. And they really help me sleep at night. And I love the pockets.”

The pajamas, which are made in Chicago, are available online at CoolRevolutionPJs.com. Prices range from $42-$55.

For Musall and Ford, menopause is frustrating but it has also presented an opportunity. Neither needed a job. Musall works full-time as a real estate agent in central Indiana. Ford is the director of operations at an Indianapolis marketing firm.

“Yeah we have our full-time jobs, but we’re also both now empty nesters,” Ford said. “We now have extra time that we’d once use for our kids but that we can now use to make a difference.”

Read more at usatoday.com.