Vasomotor symptoms, commonly referred to as hot flashes or night sweats are one of the prominent symptoms of menopause.
The common signs of hot flashes in women are excessive sweating, sudden flare of heat and discomfort. There are many symptoms that you might experience during menopause, ranging from an urge to urinate to vaginal dryness, insomnia and mood swings and hot flashes are one of them. Although the exact reason behind hot flashes is still not clear, it is one of the frequent perimenopause symptoms.
Hot flashes can be different for everyone. The severity and duration of hot flashes varies from person to person.
In this blog, we’ll take you into detail about hot flashes during menopause, their symptoms and ways to deal with them. Keep on reading to gain interesting insights.
Causes Of Hot Flashes
A lot of things in our routine life can trigger hot flashes, but some of the prominent reasons behind hot flashes are:
Hormonal Changes
Fluctuating hormones are one of the major reasons behind hot flashes in women. Women who are in their perimenopause phase, are the ones who are most susceptible to hot flashes. They may experience hot flashes several times a day. A decrease in estrogen levels and overactive or underactive thyroid might also be the reason for hot flashes. (1)
Medical Reasons
Some medical treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy or spinal lesions can also be the cause of hot flashes. (2)
Pregnancy
During the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, hot flashes might begin to occur. They might even be one of the initial symptoms in some cases. Not just pregnancy, but hot flashes can also occur post-delivery. Two weeks after delivery is usually when they are at their worst. (3)
Weather
Weather is another reason which might trigger hot flashes in women. When it's hot outside and you have worn too tight clothes and there is no room for your skin to breathe, you may suffer severe hot flashes. Hot flashes may even trigger while doing heavy exercises. (4)
Dietary Choices
You must stay mindful of what you are eating. Consuming spicy meals, caffeine, smoking, alcohol or frequent intake of hot drinks might also lead to the occurrence of heat flashes.
Symptoms & Durations Of Hot Flashes
By having an understanding of various symptoms associated with PMS hot flashes, you can better deal with them. Here are some of the major symptoms that can help you understand that you are facing hot flashes.
Heat In The Upper Body
During hot flashes, your upper body, specifically the chest, arms, neck and face starts getting warm.
Increase In Heart Rate
Your heart rate starts rising, to escalate the heat's intensity caused by hot flashes. The average duration of a hot flash is between 30 seconds to 5 minutes, though they can persist longer.
Blotchy Patches
Blood arteries in the upper body enlarge during a hot flash, thus increasing blood flow to the area. The appearance of skin flushing or blotchy patches on the areas may result from this increased blood flow.
Sudden Anxiety Or Stress
Some individuals might feel a sudden surge of anxiety and stress during a hot flash, especially if they are out in public and are self-conscious about their flushed appearance.
Excessive Sweating
When the hot flash triggers your body, you might experience excessive sweating and flushing. Once the hot flashes are over, you might feel a chill in your body.
Duration:
Each person's experience with hot flashes is unique, and they can continue for a varied time and have varied intensity. While one person may suffer a little irritation, another person might feel extreme heat. A single episode of hot flashes at night or daytime could run as little as a minute or two or as much as five minutes.
Hot flashes can be slight or so strong that they can interrupt your regular activities. They can occur day or night, at any time. Your sleep may be disturbed for a long time by hot flashes at night (also known as night sweats).
Hot flashes last longer than seven years on average. Some females have had them for over ten years too. (5)
How To Cope-Up With Hot Flashes
Here’s how you can deal with hot flashes:
Eat Mindfully
Alcohol, caffeinated drinks, and hot and spicy meals can all cause heat flashes. Recognise your triggers and learn to stay away from them.
Practise Mind-Body Techniques
Practising meditation, deep breathing, and stress reduction exercises can help in coping with hot flashes. Along with reducing the uneasiness caused by hot flashes, adopting these practices may have other advantages too, like reducing the sleep disruptions that are common throughout menopause. It is one of the best hot flash remedies.
Avoid Smoking
Smoking is associated with more heat flashes. Quitting smoking will not only help in dealing with hot flashes but, will also prevent other health problems such as cancer, heart strokes, etc.
Supplements For Hot Flashes
You can also include supplements in your diet to ease the problems caused by hot flashes. Menoveda brings you a wide range of GMO-free, Soy-free and Gluten-free menopause supplements infused with plant-based ingredients, that are clinically tested, and help in combating hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, depression, fatigue, etc. Akira menopause supplements for well-being from Menoveda help in dealing with hot flashes and other issues like insomnia, mental fatigue and stress.
Lose Weight
Maintaining a healthy body weight can also help reduce the severity of sweating and hot flashes.
Many people, especially women, suffer from hot flashes. By going through the blog, you must have got an idea of the various symptoms and causes of hot flashes and the ways to deal with them. Menoveda brings you a concoction of the most potent Ayurvedic menopause supplements and ensures your well-being during the menopausal transition. All our Ayurvedic menopause supplement formulations are hormone-free and have no side effects.
Check out products from Menoveda and set on a smooth menopause journey.
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Frequently Asked Questions On Hot Flashes
Q. What are hot flashes in menopause?
Hot flashes in menopause are brought on by falling estrogen levels. Hot flashes generally occur during the perimenopause phase.
Q. What happens when you feel hot flashes?
One generally sweats a lot or feels dizzy when hot flashes occur. Other signs may include redness and itching.
Q. Who experiences hot flashes?
Hot flashes can be experienced by anyone, however, women are most susceptible to them.
Q. When do hot flashes start?
Most women start to face hot flashes as a sign of perimenopause symptoms. It can start as early as 40 years of age.
Q. What are hot flashes called?
Vasomotor Symptoms(VMS) or night sweats are some of the other names for hot flashes.
Q. How many hot flashes are normal?
Having 4-5 hot flashes for a duration of 2- 5 minutes are considered normal.
