Controlling Menopausal Hot Flashes

Controlling hot flashes during menopause completely is an unrealistic goal, as they are largely spontaneous and an often inevitable aspect of hormonal transition. Managing them and drastically decreasing their frequency, however, is a completely attainable accomplishment, as this entails only minor lifestyle alterations that create unfavorable conditions for the development of hot flashes during menopause. Knowledge pertinent to this symptom is a great place to begin.

Menopausal Hot Flashes

Affecting over three out of four of all women in the United States to some degree in their lives, hot flashes are among the most prevalent and common symptoms of menopause. They usually commence during perimenopause or pre-menopause, continue through menopause, and sometimes last for the duration of a woman’s post-menopausal life. They are characterized by sudden, intense sensations of heat, and are often accompanied by:

• Headaches
• Nausea
• Excessive sweating
• Flushed and warmed skin
• Chills
• Increased pulse or heart rate

Menopausal Hot flashes also commonly affect women while they sleep, a condition known as night sweats. The above symptoms also accompany these nocturnal hot flashes, although they may not be intense enough to awake a woman from sleep. They generally are identified by damp sheets upon awakening.

What Triggers the Onset of Hot Flashes during Menopause

Making small alterations to your daily routine and lifestyle is the best and most effective way to alleviate the effects of menopausal hot flashes. There are certain things that commonly trigger the spontaneous onset of hot flashes during menopause, of which you must be made aware to better control the symptom. Such hot flashes triggers can include:

• Excessive consumption of sugar, alcohol or caffeine
• Spicy foods or beverages
• Hot or overly warm environments
• Obvious sources of heat, like fireplaces, heaters and hairdryers
• Excessive stress or anxiety
• Smoking tobacco
• Diet pills

How to Control Hot Flashes

Although it is nearly impossible to completely control menopausal hot flashes, you can adapt your daily routine to accommodate and prevent them. By implementing simple lifestyle alterations, you will notice an immediate decrease in the amount of hot flashes you experience. Try the following:

1. Regulate room temperature.

Alleviating and preventing menopausal hot flashes can sometimes be as simple as cracking open a window, turning a fan on or lowering the temperature of your air conditioner. A cool environment will result in a lower body temperature, as well.

2. Wear light clothing.

Breathable clothing can help to decrease the occurrence of hot flashes during menopause. Cotton, silk and linen are far more light and breathable than spandex, polyester and nylon. Utilizing light layers of clothing that can be easily stripped away during summer months also is a good idea.

3. Slow down.

Keeping your heart rate and blood pressure low can considerably decrease the frequency and intensity of episodic hot flashes during menopause. Try to manage time more wisely so you have no need to rush in the mornings.

Some pharmaceutical companies will suggest that synthetic options, like drugs and surgeries, are the only way to effectively combat hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause. However, these are dangerous and expensive, and should be used only in extreme cases.

Most women find that a combination of lifestyle alterations and natural supplements is efficacious and efficient in reducing the occurrence of hot flashes during menopause. Dietary changes, regular exercise and other similar adaptations will prove wonderfully effective when attempting to alleviate menopausal hot flashes. Read more about how to control hot flashes.