What is a Hot Flash?
A hot flash is a sudden feeling of intense heat coming from inside you that spreads up your body. They can typically last anywhere from 30 seconds to about 10 minutes.
What does a hot flash feel like?
For me, I would get chills first, so I would pull up my collar or put on a sweater. Then I would get tingly, my heart would race a little, and I start to feel the heat creeping up my body. And I start to warm up, and get warmer, and warmer, and warmer and get this runaway warmth until I was flushed and sweaty and taking the layers off one by one. Of course once the sensation passed, the dampness from the lingering sweat would cause me to get the chills again, and the cycle would start all over.
How often do hot flashes happen?
Hot flashes start for most women in their 40s as they begin perimenopause. The frequency of hot flashes vary from woman to woman. Some women experience multiple hot flashes per hour, while others can go days in between. For a lot of women, hot flashes stop for the most part once they reach menopause, although for some women they may linger for a few years after menopause.
Tips for reducing hot flashes
Adjusting your lifestyle to avoiding hot flash triggers can help to reduce the frequency of hot flashes. There are also Hot Flash Relief products that can help make them less miserable.
Lifestyle adjustments for mitigating hot flashes
- Pay attention to what causes your hot flashes and avoid those triggers.
- Dress in layers that can easily be added and removed.
- Carry a portable fan to keep cool.
- Relax – Stress can trigger hot flashes. Try a stress relief activity or technique.
- Stay hydrated and eat healthy.
- Alcohol, spicy foods, and caffeine can trigger hot flashes
- Avoid smoking, as it is considered to be a hot flash trigger.
- Hot flash relief products can help.
Talk to your doctor during your checkups about what is going on with your perimenopause and menopause journey. They can determine whether these symptoms and issues are a normal part of going through your changes or if they are a sign of some other underlying condition. If your Doctor doesn’t listen to your concerns, find a doctor who will. Menopause is real, and it’s hard enough to find support and someone who understands what you are going through. The more they know about what you are dealing with, the more they can help.