Do you Suffer from Menopausal Hot Flushes?

Learn what Menopause is and Menopausal Hot Flushes are
Learn the symptoms, causes and triggers of Menopausal Hot Flushes
Learn about natural treatment and tips for healthy Menopause

What are hot flushes?

Hot flushes or flashes are one of the most common symptoms of menopause, with about 80% of women experiencing them. Hot flushes are defined as a sudden feeling of heat or warmth all over the body, especially around the face and neck. It may often result in profuse sweating and can be accompanied by nausea and dizziness.

What can I expect?

When it comes to hot flushes, you should expect the unexpected. Although we do know that you can expect a hot feeling all across your body, probably accompanied by rivers of sweat, we do not know when or where it will strike. Menopausal hot flushes can happen at any time during the day or night, and may be influenced by our lifestyle and habits.

Hot flushes are generally expected to last anything from a couple of seconds, to several minutes.

Why do hot flushes occur?

It is not completely clear exactly why hot flushes happen, but experts on the subject to have a pretty good theory as to what might cause the problem.

These scientists think that it may be due to a “glitch” in the hypothalamus, which is the part of the brain that regulates body temperature. They believe that this glitch is caused by the decrease in estrogen levels, which then causes the hypothalamus to pick up false readings of the body’s temperature, and then tries to rectify the problem via the body’s heating and cooling systems.

Triggers of menopausal hot flushes:

Although the root cause of hot flushes is still not clear, there are known triggers for episodes of hot flushes. These include things that we eat, what we wear, our environment, and many more. Some of the most common triggers for menopausal hot flushes are:

The external environment –

One of the big triggers for hot flushes is a sudden change in external environment, such as when you go outside after being in a cool, air-conditioned room. It can even happen when you go outside in the cold of winter, after you have been inside a well heated house.

Stress –

Whether it is stress caused by your job, relationship stress, or awaiting test results from the doctor – these are all things that can cause stress-related menopausal hot flushes.

Diet –

This should come as no surprise, since almost every health issue can be traced back to what you eat. There are certain foods and drinks to steer clear of during menopause, as they increase the risk of having a hot flash attack.

Spicy foods, caffeinated drinks, alcoholic beverages, and warm drinks or food can lead to a hot flash outbreak.

Clothing –

When you wear tight-fitting and/or warm clothes, you might make it easier for yourself to have a hot flash attack. Try to wear more loose-fitting clothing, and dress so appropriately for the temperature.

It is also wise to carry this advice over to the bedroom, as hot flushes often occur during the night. Wear loose-fitting pajamas made from light materials and make sure that you are not using more blankets than you need.

Non-menopausal reasons for getting hot flushes:

Even though in most cases menopause is the reason for hot flushes, there are instances where menopause is not to blame. This means that women can experience hot flushes that are not related to menopause, and that in rare cases, even some men can experience them. Some reasons for non-menopausal hot flushes are: