Hot flashes in menopause is one of the most common symptoms. I didn’t have too many hot flashes while in perimenopause but I remember days when my face would get beet red and nights when I’d have trouble sleeping. A few lifestyle changes helped and thankfully those days are behind me now but you may be in the middle of them or about to experience them so let’s discuss why they happen and what you can do about them.
What are hot flashes and when do they happen?
Hot flashes are sudden feelings of warmth in your body, concentrated in your face, neck, and chest most likely. Like me, your face may get red as if you’re blushing. If you experience night sweats – the nighttime version of the hot flash – it may be interrupting your sleep cycle.
The most common reason for hot flashes is the menopausal transition so if you’re having them, this is probably the culprit. Hot flashes are one of the most common symptoms of menopause in women so what can you do to alleviate them?
Relief for menopausal hot flashes
Hot flashes may not be disruptive to your daily life. Mine was minimal and I found solutions to help myself when they came over me. But some women struggle to show up to their day when experiencing hot flashes. If that’s you, try to take note of when they are triggered and how they are affecting you. This will help give you insight into lifestyle changes you can make to ease the severity of them.
Here are supportive things to try when experiencing hot flashes:
- Avoid alcohol, sugar, spicy foods, and caffeine which are known to make menopausal symptoms worse. Instead, make sure your diet is incorporating lots of plant-based foods.
- Dress in layers so you can get comfortable if a hot flash hits.
- Work to maintain a healthy weight.
- Practice slow, deep belly breathing if a hot flash is coming on
- Talk to your doctor to see if hormone treatment would be helpful
One product that I use to help me sleep well through menopause is the Chilisleep pad, their products are amazing and they are running a 20% off active cooling sleep product through July 10th. Be sure to check them out!
Have you had hot flashes through menopause? What have you found to be most helpful?
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