According to a United States report, 75 percent of women experience hot flashes and night sweats in pre-menopause and menopause stages.
Hot flashes occur day or night which causes a sudden feeling of warmness on the face, neck, and chest.
Night sweats are hyperhidrosis (heavy sweating) that occurs along with hot flashes. They wake up women from sleep even cause discomfort during sleeping.
They are caused by hormonal changes during pre-menopause and menopause.
In this article, we are going to discuss some tips to get relief for hot flashes.
1. How to avoid triggering Hot flashes and Night Sweats
Avoid these triggers, which evoke hot flashes and night sweats in some people.
- Avoid smoking because cigarette smoke decreases the estrogen level which is associated with hot flashes and night sweats.
- Avoid wearing tight and heavy clothes.
- Stop using a heavy blanket or sheet on your bed.
- Stop taking excessive alcohol and caffeine.
- Don’t take too much stress.
- Avoid sleeping in a warm room.
- Avoid taking spicy food.
2. Habits that prevent Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
There are some habits that can reduce hot flashes and night sweats.
- Maintain your weight to stay healthy. Because obesity can cause more severe hot flashes.
- By doing exercise. Exercise can reduce the level of depression, anxiety, and insomnia.
- Take restful sleep at night.
- Turn on the thermostat before going to sleep.
- Using a portable fan
- Do some meditation to reduce stress.
3. Natural food
By adding natural food to the diet for the long term may help to get relief from hot flashes and night sweats.
- Eating soy one time or twice a day because it contains estrogen. And high estrogen levels decrease hot flashes.
- Taking linseed oil in your diet decrease the number of hot flashes and improve the quality of life in the menopausal stage.
- Eating evening primrose oils (can cause GUT discomforts like nausea and diarrhea). Evening primrose oils cause slow blood clotting if you are taking certain medication which causes blood thinning don’t use evening Primrose oils along with them because it might increase bleeding and bruising.
4. Supplements and therapy
Supplements and therapy give relief from hot flashes and night sweat but you should consult your doctor about over-the-counter (OTC) supplements and prescription therapy because some supplements interfere with other medications.
- Menopausal hormone therapy also called (HRT) hormone replacement therapy is very effective in reducing the severity and number of hot flashes.
- Take black cohosh supplement capsules that maintain the level of the hormone estrogen (but it should not be used if you have a hepatic disease).
- Antiseizure drugs (Neurontin) used in the treatment of epilepsy and migraines but can also reduce hot flashes.
- Antihypertensive drugs (Clonidine) used to treat high pressure that can also lessen menopausal hot flashes.
- Antidepressants drugs (paroxetine and venlafaxine) give relief from menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats.
- Take Vitamin B that increases serotonin levels. Serotonin reduces hot flashes.
- Vitamin E gives some relief from hot flashes.
5. Find relief when you are going to bed.
Find a way to get quick relief from hot flashes and night sweats.
- By the use of cooling gels or pillow.
- To reduce the temperature of your room.
- By drinking cold water.
- Take slow and deep breaths to relax your body.
- Take off your blanket and sheet.
- Switch on a fan.
NOTE: Tips that give relief from hot flashes and night sweats to one woman might not work for other women.
