How to Beat Hot Flashes

Hot flashes are generally caused by hormonal changes associated with the onset of menopause. Certain medications and lifestyle changes can also trigger hot flashes. An average of three out of four women will experience hot flashes at some point due to menopause. Symptoms of hot flashes include sudden, intense warmth -- most commonly felt in the head and neck areas -- which may be accompanied by flushing, heavy sweating, cold chills, rapid or irregular heartbeat and night sweats. Hot flashes usually last from 30 seconds to 30 minutes. They can range in severity from slightly bothersome to seriously impacting your quality of life. But remedies are available to help you beat the heat of hot flashes.

Instructions

• 1

  Hormone Replacement Therapy is one approach to deal with severe hot flash symptoms.

  Consult your physician about Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), which utilizes estrogen, or a combination of estrogen and progestin hormones to relieve hot flashes and other symptoms associated with menopause.

• 2

  Caffeine and other dietary triggers can exacerbate hot flashes.

  Avoid or limit alcohol, caffeine, white sugar and spicy foods. Certain foods can trigger hot flashes. Eliminating these from the diet may help ease the frequency and intensity of hot flashes.

• 3

  Exercise before bedtime to reduce night sweats.

  Exercise regularly. Exercise increases endorphin levels, which drop during hot flashes. Exercising for 30 minutes a day can significantly reduce the severity of hot flashes.

• 4

  Consider antidepressants. Certain antidepressants in low doses may reduce the severity of hot flashes by acting on the brain's serotonin levels, which helps to regulate body heat. Increased serotonin levels can also help relieve mood swings and irritability.

• 5

  Add soy milk to your diet to decrease hot flashes.

  Add soy products to your diet. Soy is rich in isoflavones, an estrogen-like substance found in plants. Increasing daily soy consumption may ease hot flashes, as well as improve sleep and reduce night sweats.

• 6

  Drink plenty of water to lessen the frequency of hot flashes.

  Drink plenty of water. At least eight cups of water a day is important to replace fluids lost from sweating due to hot flashes. Drinking more water can also help to prevent hot flashes from occurring.