hot flash
what is that // cause // Symptoms // Relief // Conclusion
If you feel intensely hot and sweaty, kicking the sheets off at night or fanning yourself randomly throughout the day, you may be experiencing hot flashes.
Hot flashes, clinically known as vasomotor symptoms, can be caused by certain medications and medical conditions, but the most common cause is during menopause and perimenopause. In fact, 75-80% of women go through menopause.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and medications are often prescribed to treat hot flashes, but they can sometimes be alleviated by making specific lifestyle changes. Learn more about hot flashes, their causes, and how to manage them.
What are hot flashes?
Hot flashes are sudden and severe bouts of fever, often accompanied by heavy sweating, and usually affect the upper body, especially the face and chest.
Menopause is common during menopause, and a woman officially reaches menopause when she misses 12 consecutive periods. However, women of reproductive age can experience hot flashes at any stage of life, including the years leading up to menopause, known as perimenopause.
What do hot flashes feel like?
Hot flashes don’t feel the same way for everyone, but they are often described as a sudden rise in heat or warmth that spreads throughout your upper body.
For some people, hot flashes are just a minor nuisance that causes them to feel warm for a few seconds. For others, it can be intense, anxiety-inducing, and often accompanied by profuse sweating.
How long do hot flashes last?
Although each episode lasts only a few seconds to a few minutes, hot flashes can be present repeatedly for years to more than a decade, and they last longer on average in black and Hispanic women.
When do hot flashes start?
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), menopause typically begins between the ages of 45 and 55 in the United States, with the average age being 52. But menopause can begin up to 10 years before menopause, so some women may start experiencing hot flashes in their mid-30s.
Why are hot flashes worse at night?
Hot flashes themselves aren’t worse at night, but they can certainly feel that way.
Your body temperature naturally decreases while you sleep, so waking up with a hot flash can be especially unpleasant if your body cools down quickly and the chills persist. Trying to fall asleep again while sweating and wired can leave you feeling worse than you did during the day.
Hot flashes and night sweats
Menopausal hot flashes and night sweats are essentially the same, except that night sweats are widely thought to be hot flashes that occur during sleep.
Menopausal night sweats can cause the same symptoms as daytime hot flashes and can wake you up from sleep. You may wake up drenched in sweat and feel like you need to change your sheets, sleepwear, or both.
What causes hot flashes?
Although hot flashes are most often caused by menopause, there are many possible causes, each of which affects the body’s ability to regulate temperature.
It is important to consult a health care professional if you start experiencing these symptoms, as they can be caused by certain medications or medical conditions.
hormonal changes
Hot flashes are most often associated with hormonal fluctuations, especially a decrease in estrogen. Among its many functions, estrogen helps regulate body temperature, especially cooling by dissipating heat.
Although researchers are still trying to understand the mechanisms involved, it is believed that low estrogen affects how the brain perceives temperature, causing the hypothalamus (the body’s thermostat) to malfunction.
Mistaking normal body temperature for overheating, the hypothalamus widens blood vessels in the skin and sweat glands (vasodilation) to disperse heat and cool the body. The result is a rush of warm blood to the surface of the skin, which can cause a flushed sensation and appearance.
A drop in estrogen may be a symptom of menopause or perimenopause, or it may simply indicate cyclical changes in hormones before or during your period.
drug side effects
Many drugs, especially those that disrupt hormone levels, can cause hot flashes as a side effect of their use. This can be a problem for both women and men.
The types of medicines that can cause hot flashes include:
- opioid
- steroid
- certain antidepressants
- chemotherapy drugs
- some hormone treatments
medical practice
Certain medical procedures can affect the production of sex hormones such as estrogen and testosterone, causing hot flashes. These include:
- genital mutilation
- radiation therapy
- chemotherapy
thyroid function
Hot flashes and increased sweating are common when the thyroid gland is not functioning properly, especially when it produces too much thyroid hormone. Other symptoms may also occur, such as palpitations or increased heart rate, anxiety, irritability, and weight loss.
hypoglycemia
Science has discovered a link between hot flashes and blood sugar levels, especially the period between meals when blood sugar levels are lowest. Furthermore, the frequency of hot flashes increased as the time between meals increased, suggesting that metabolic factors play a role in the rate, if not the intensity, of hot flashes.
Researchers hypothesize that when blood sugar levels drop, the body works to quickly transport glucose to the brain, resulting in increased blood flow, sweating, and dilated blood vessels, causing a sensation similar to hot flashes. This can be made worse by instilling estrogen, which helps regulate the supply of glucose to the brain.
Can a spike in blood sugar levels cause hot flashes?
Research also points to a link between hot flashes and insulin sensitivity. In one study, higher blood sugar and insulin levels were associated with more severe hot flashes in postmenopausal women.
The mechanism by which insulin sensitivity affects hormone levels is not fully understood, but it is thought that high blood sugar levels may awaken the sympathetic nervous system (the “fight or flight” response). This can cause increased heart rate, sweating, and dilated blood vessels, all of which are hallmarks of hot flashes.
How do I know if I’m having hot flashes?
“Hot flashes are obvious from the symptoms,” says Kecia Gaither, MD, MPH, MS, MBA, FACOG, who is dual board certified in obstetrician-gynecology and maternal-fetal medicine.
Dr. Gaither shared other common signs of hot flashes:
- Intense feeling of heat in the upper body
- anxiety
- fast heart rate
- sweating
- red spots or reddish skin
“Symptoms can last anywhere from 30 seconds to five minutes and can be mild, moderate, or severe,” Gaither says.
Hot flashes are common for many women, but if you think you may have a more serious problem, you should contact your doctor for a formal diagnosis.
How to reduce hot flashes
Once you’ve seen your doctor and it’s confirmed that you’re actually experiencing hot flashes, the next thing to do is try to reduce them. Depending on the cause of your hot flashes, your doctor may recommend treatment options such as medication or HRT.
As a complement to or as an alternative to medical treatment, the following methods can help reduce hot flashes naturally and even improve your overall health.
1. Manage your stress levels
We’ve discussed the role that anxiety sometimes plays in hot flashes, but research has found that it can also cause them. Hot flashes are thought to be more likely to occur in people who have physical manifestations of anxiety, such as nausea or headaches.
Fortunately, there are many holistic ways to reduce stress, including mindfulness and relaxation techniques such as:
2. Exercise regularly
It’s no secret that exercise has many benefits for your body and mind, many of which can also help reduce hot flashes.
Here are some ways regular physical activity can help with hot flashes.
Participating in non-stressful activities may provide additional benefits. This can be accomplished through low-impact exercise that combines aerobic and strength training at varying intensities.
For example, the workouts that make up the Belle Vitale Hormone Health Program help sculpt, stretch, and shape your body while limiting cortisol spikes.
3. Eat these 9 foods that help fight hot flashes.
According to Dr. Gaither, a primarily plant-based diet rich in phytoestrogens and healthy fats may help alleviate hot flashes.
Phytoestrogens, found in certain foods such as soy, mimic estrogen and have been shown to help reduce hot flashes and night sweats during menopause.
Healthy fats high in omega-3 fatty acids are also being studied for their potential to help reduce hot flashes and night sweats.
Dr. Gaither recommends adding the following foods to your diet:
- soy: Tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy milk
- Foods to cool: cucumber, cauliflower, cabbage
- Whole grains: Barley, oats, whole wheat
- fruit: apples, berries, citrus
- Fatty fish: salmon, sardines, anchovies
- nuts: almonds, walnuts
- seed: Sesame, flax, chia, hemp
- Healthy fats: olive oil, avocado
4. Try targeted supplements
Getting enough vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients at each stage of life can help improve your overall health. When it comes to hot flashes, certain supplements and herbal remedies can help.
Vitamin E: A systematic review found that vitamin E supplementation reduced hot flashes and reduced their intensity, noting that further research is needed.
Evening primrose oil: Some studies have shown that taking evening primrose oil capsules may help reduce the frequency and severity of hot flashes.
Red clover: This legume contains isoflavones, a type of phytoestrogens. These compounds are thought to help reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes.
carrot: A recent systematic review found that this herb extracted from ginseng root “significantly” reduced hot flashes in randomized, placebo-controlled trials.
hop: Hops, which come from the flowers of the hop plant that gives beer its bitter taste, have been found to help reduce symptoms of early menopause.
5. Prioritize sleep
Adequate rest is essential for all aspects of health, but hot flashes, night sweats, and other menopausal symptoms can make it difficult to get enough sleep. As a result, you can become more irritable and depressed. Some studies even suggest that waking up from sleep can actually trigger hot flashes.
Lack of sleep can lead to weight gain, and excess weight can lead to increased hot flashes and night sweats.
There are several ways to improve your sleep, including:
- Also avoid caffeine, which causes hot flashes for many people.
- Create a sleep schedule and go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
- Keep your bedroom cool, improve sleep quality, and reduce hot flashes.
- Stick to a relaxing pre-bedtime routine by reading a book or listening to calming music.
6. Stay hydrated
Dr. Gaither recommends hydrating regularly to manage hot flashes, and for good reason. Hydration helps regulate body temperature, improve sleep quality and mood, and deliver nutrients to the body’s cells.
Drinking a cold drink at the onset of a hot flash can also help relieve it. Keep a bottle or thermos of cold water next to your bed to drink when you have nighttime hot flashes.
7. Identify and avoid triggers
Tracking your hot flashes, including what you were doing right before you experienced them, may help you identify your triggers, so you can avoid them and reduce their overall frequency.
The causes of hot flashes vary from person to person, but here are some common ones to be aware of.
- stress
- alcohol
- caffeine
- spicy food
- smoking
- hot drinks
- heavy clothing
- hot bath and shower
- hot climate and environment
8. Choose your fabric wisely
From the clothes you wear to the sheets you sleep in, choosing breathable natural fibers like cotton can help keep you cool and comfortable during hot flashes, and can even prevent them altogether.
While we’re on the subject, wearing removable layers and avoiding heavy bedding can also be helpful.
conclusion
Once you know the cause of your hot flashes (most often menopause), you can manage them through a combination of lifestyle changes that focus on nutrition, fitness, stress management, and improving sleep quality. Of course, if you feel you need further help, don’t hesitate to contact your doctor or other health care professional.
If you’re looking for effective home health care options, Hello Alpha can connect you with board-certified medical professionals who specialize in women’s health. They message qualified clinicians 24/7, prescribe and deliver medications, and provide confidential, personalized coaching on weight loss, mental health, and hormonal health.
