Relief For Hot Flashes at Night

As a woman enters menopause, reduced levels of estrogen can cause the brain to signal the nervous system to heat up by as much as 6 degrees Celsius. This reaction is known as a hot flash, and when these occur at night and during sleep, they are known as night sweats.

Reduce Your Risk Factors

• The first step in relieving hot flashes is to eliminate the risk factors associated with triggering a hot flash, which can include ethnicity (African-American women are more likely to experience hot flashes than Caucasian or Asian women); consuming foods and drinks such as alcohol, caffeinated beverages, or eating spicy foods; not engaging in regular physical exercise; smoking; or sitting in a hot tub or sauna.

At-Home Treatments

• Mild hot flashes may be treated with various lifestyle modifications, such as dressing in layers so when a hot flash occurs, you can shed a layer to keep yourself cool. Keeping your home at a cool temperature as well as having cold beverages close at hand may help to ease the hot sensations during night sweats.

  Set a regular bedtime and avoid the triggers mentioned in the earlier section for at least three hours before bedtime. For example, do not consume caffeine or spicy foods at least three hours prior to going to bed. You also may want to lower your bedroom's temperature two to three degrees to ensure the room will be cool and comfortable.

  As stress is a frequent trigger to hot flashes, take care not to go to bed with stressful or anxious thoughts. Engaging in meditation or deep breathing exercises prior to going to bed may help to relieve stress and prevent night sweats.

Prescription Medications

• Night sweats can cause women to experience poor-quality to limited sleep, the effects of which can include depression and anxiety. If night sweats begin to interfere with everyday living, a woman may need to seek medical help.

  The first route a doctor may recommend is hormone replacement therapy. Women who have had a hysterectomy may take only estrogen; however, women who still have their reproductive organs should take an estrogen/progesterone combination to ward against endometrial cancer. Because hormone therapy has adverse side effects, such as breast cancer or blood clotting, it should be employed for the shortest amount of time possible.

  Another medication option is gabapentin (Neurontin), which has been shown to be especially effective in treating night flashes. This type of medication is typically prescribed for seizures or shingles, and may cause side effects such as sleepiness, dizziness, or headaches.