How my new BedJet device helps me avoid sweating at night

If you have SMA or care for someone with the disease, you’ll know what I mean when I say we get sweaty. At first I thought it was just me, but then I read somewhere online that folks like me have sweaty palms. This moment was one of those that, in hindsight, transformed my understanding of SMA. I wasn’t alone anymore! Something I thought was a personal problem suddenly no longer was.

Of course, the problem itself didn’t go away. I still had sweaty palms. Sweaty everything, to be exact, which is ironic considering that I’m freezing most of the time. If I’m not wrapped in a blanket, there’s a good chance I wish I were. My space heater makes up a good chunk of my family’s electric bill. Winter is my nemesis and also probably one of my least favorite things in the world.

Still, I sweat.

For the longest time, I shrugged it off as one of those stupidly annoying aspects of living with a rare disease. Then I started to struggle with yeast overgrowth.

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Putting the pieces together

It was my naturopath who figured it out. During a virtual appointment, she mentioned something about me potentially having candidiasis, a fancy term for “yeast overgrowth.” I had no idea what yeast even was, but after a bit of research, it all made perfect sense. My inexplicable symptoms fell into place like pieces of a puzzle. The rashes, the gastrointestinal issues — even my chronic sinusitis could be because of candidiasis.

I worked with my naturopath to eliminate the immediate problem: a particularly nasty bout of perioral dermatitis that went away only with strong antibiotics. With that symptom addressed, we moved on to other problems, always with the understanding that I was probably suffering from some sort of yeast overgrowth.

Life happened, and the revelation that was candidiasis fell off my radar. But my mom kept working the problem. Several months later, she came to me with another shocking reveal.

Yeast thrives in warm, moist places.

My mom initially tried to wean me off my space heater and electric blanket. She failed for obvious reasons (see: freeze baby with low circulation and an unfortunate residence in Minnesota). Undeterred, she did what she does best — took to the internet.

Stopping the sweat

My mom eventually discovered this nifty little device called a BedJet, which she described as a small fan that blows air between your bedsheets.

I wasn’t convinced. Fans keep you dry, but they don’t do much when it comes to keeping you warm. Wouldn’t I get cold?

One of the more ingenious aspects of the BedJet is the control it gives you. Not only can you set the BedJet to whatever temperature you want, you can also control the strength of the fan, resulting in a level of customization that, frankly, I need as someone with SMA.

I still wasn’t convinced, but I agreed to give it a try. My mom ordered the machine and set it up with poorly concealed anticipation. She suspected it would be a game changer.

She was right.

The BedJet takes some getting used to. The fan, while quiet, is an additional source of noise while I’m trying to sleep. The sheets ripple with the force of the air, which is fascinating to me and downright terrifying to my poor cat. The system is lacking some functionality, namely compatibility with smart speakers so I can make adjustments with a voice command.

But overall, I’m impressed. I stay pretty dry, and while it’s only at night, it’s definitely an improvement. Every night, I crawl into my toasty, sweat-free bed and thank God for my new best friend.

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Note: SMA News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of SMA News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to spinal muscular atrophy.