Hot Flashes During Menopause: Causes and What Can Help

Hot flashes are among the most common symptoms of menopause. They often occur suddenly: a wave of heat rises through the chest, neck, and face, the skin reddens, and you break out in a sweat—which may be followed by a chill.

Some women experience only occasional feelings of warmth. Others have severe hot flashes several times a day or at night. Hot flashes are particularly distressing when they disrupt sleep, cause anxiety in daily life, or impair performance.

What are hot flashes?

Hot flashes are sudden surges of heat. They often begin in the chest area, spread up through the neck and face, and can affect the entire body. They are often followed by sweating, heart palpitations, restlessness, or a subsequent feeling of chilliness.

Typical signs include:

• sudden sensation of heat
• Redness of the face, neck, or chest
• heavy sweating
• Night Sweats
• Heart palpitations
• Restlessness or irritability
• Chills After a Hot Flash
• Sleep disturbances caused by night sweats
• Daytime Fatigue

Their duration and intensity can vary greatly. Some hot flashes subside after a short time, while others last for several minutes.

Why Do Hot Flashes Occur During Menopause?

During menopause, hormone levels change. The ovaries gradually produce less estrogen. These hormonal fluctuations can affect the brain's ability to regulate body temperature.

The body then reacts as if it were suddenly overheated. The blood vessels dilate, blood flow to the skin increases, and sweat is produced to cool the body down. This may be followed by chills.

Stress can also make hot flashes worse. During a hot flash, the body may release additional adrenaline. This can lead to restlessness, heart palpitations, or irritability.

How common are hot flashes?

Hot flashes occur in many women during menopause. However, their frequency varies greatly. Some women experience symptoms only occasionally, while others have hot flashes several times a day or at night.

They occur particularly frequently around the time of the last menstrual period. For many women, the symptoms become less severe over time. However, there are also women who continue to experience them for several years.

Night sweats

Nighttime hot flashes can be particularly distressing. Many women wake up drenched in sweat and have to change their clothes or even change the sheets. Afterward, it’s often difficult to fall back asleep.

If night sweats occur regularly, sleep can be significantly affected. This can lead to fatigue, reduced performance, irritability, and inner tension during the day.

Things that can help at night:

• Keep the bedroom cool
• Wear breathable sleepwear
• Choose bedding made from natural materials
• Use the layering principle for clothing and blankets
• Have a light set of spare pajamas ready
• Avoid alcohol and heavy meals in the evening
• wind down in the evening
• Cool the pillow if necessary

Common Triggers of Hot Flashes

• Not every hot flash has a clear trigger. Nevertheless, many women report that certain factors can make the symptoms worse.Possible triggers include:
  • Stress
  • warm rooms
  • Alcohol
  • Coffee
  • Black tea
  • spicy food
  • very warm clothing
  • synthetic materials
  • Smoking
  • very hot beverages
  • not enough exercise
  • Overweight
  It can be helpful to keep track of your own triggers over the course of a few weeks. This will make it easier to identify which situations or habits make hot flashes worse.

Diet for Hot Flashes

A balanced, Mediterranean-style diet can be helpful during menopause. It focuses on vegetables, fruits, fresh herbs, legumes, whole grains, high-quality vegetable oils, and plenty of fluids.

Many women should either cut back on or pay close attention to:

• Alcohol
• Coffee
• Black tea
• spicy foods
• foods that are very high in sugar
• highly processed products
• very greasy foods

Being overweight can also contribute to hot flashes. A nutrient-rich diet and regular exercise can therefore help in the long term.

Kneipp Treatments and Contrast Showers

Kneipp treatments involve brief exposure to cold. They can help train the body's temperature regulation and stimulate circulation. Many women find cold dousing, treading water, or contrast showers to be soothing.

An easy way to get started is with a contrast shower: start with warm water, take a brief cold shower, and always finish with cold water. It’s important to warm up your body thoroughly beforehand and not to apply cold treatments to a body that’s already cold.

In cases of venous disorders, inflammation, or kidney or bladder problems, Kneipp treatments should only be performed after a professional evaluation.

Sage for Hot Flashes

Common sage (Salvia officinalis) is the most important herbal remedy for hot flashes and excessive sweating during menopause. Sage has traditionally been used to treat excessive sweating and is particularly well known for its effectiveness in treating sweating episodes.

The plant contains essential oils, tannins, bitter compounds, and flavonoids. In herbal medicine, sage is used to treat conditions affecting the mouth and throat, digestive problems, and excessive sweating.

When should you see a doctor about hot flashes?

Hot flashes are common during menopause. However, it is advisable to see a doctor if the symptoms are very severe, occur suddenly, are unusual, or significantly interfere with daily life.

Seek medical advice if:

• severe or newly occurring night sweats
• Bleeding After Menopause
• Heart palpitations or chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• severe dizziness
• unintentional weight loss
• Fever
• severe exhaustion
• chronic insomnia
• Suspected Thyroid Problems

Even if it is unclear whether the symptoms are actually related to menopause, it is a good idea to seek a professional evaluation.