Are you suffering from hot flashes and night sweats?
If you are, you are certainly not alone. Research shows that approximately 75% of women report experiencing these symptoms.
Hot flashes and night sweats are troublesome for many women and can manifest at the most inopportune time. Ever get ready to go into a big meeting and all of a sudden feel the rush? They can impact our self esteem, confidence, decisions on what to wear, our relationships, create feelings of anxiety and can even prevent some women from socializing or attending events they would normally love to be at.
Hot flashes and night sweats are normal symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, but the suffering does not have to be. In fact, there are many things women can do to lesson the symptoms or eliminate them entirely.
Firstly, hot flashes and night sweats are a result of changes in estrogen levels during perimenopause. While we can’t control the natural loss of estrogen from our ovaries, we can support our body’s other systems that are also influenced by loss of estrogen. Specifically, hot flashes and night sweats are exacerbated by sugar, some foods, stress and alcohol.
Tips For Minimizing Hot Flashes and Night Sweats:
Track your experience:
What you ate or drank the 1-2 hours before the hot flash
For night sweats, how soon before bed was your last meal
Is it related to alcohol consumption
Is it related to a stressful situation
Timing - is it a a consistent time of day or night
Is it related to exercise
Stress reduction strategies:
Take deep breaths in and prolong the exhale
Meditate and focus on calming the nervous system
Dress in layers
Stay hydrated and keep cold water nearby
Consider adding Maca
Avoid caffeine, alcohol and sugary drinks
Avoid spicey foods
For sleeping, keep the room cool, layer your bedding, use a fan or open the window, and have cold water to sip on if needed
If you smoke, try to quit
Consider HRT (hormone replacement therapy). There are risk factors with HRT so be sure to consult with your treating physician or naturopath.
Try and keep some humour with it. Life is tough enough so roll with this one and bring the laughter in whenever you can.
I can help by doing an in depth assessment with you and creating a unique plan just for you. If you’re post menopause, you can also reach out to your GP or nurse practitioner to see if Hormone Therapy is right for you!
Anna Olchowecki is a Registered Nurse Case Manager turned Women's Health Coach with over 20 years of experience.
She helps women in their 40s & 50s who are feeling frustrated by the weight gain, brain fog and hot flashes associated with perimenopause/menopause learn to work with their changing hormones so they can thrive in their roles as mothers, caregivers and working professionals while also feeling completely free to step into living the life they crave and deserve.
She serves women locally in Guelph, Fergus, Elora, Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge AND virtually worldwide.
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