One of the most annoying hallmarks of moving toward menopause is the presence of hot flashes. AmIRight? Sheesh, no fun.
Starting somewhere around age 40(ish), a woman’s hormone levels begin to wildly fluctuate and hot flashes are often the result. About 8 out of 10 women get them, so you’re in good company if you do…. the “in” crowd!
Here are a few strategies to lessen severity and frequency of hot flashes:
- Try to avoid stressful or anxiety-producing situations. Yeah, much easier said than done. Build in a comfortable margin of time so you’re not hurried. Learn to breathe slowly and deeply to keep from having a stress response during tense moments of your day.
- Nix the sugar. It requires an insulin response, which upsets your hormonal balance.
- Reduce consumption of spicy food. You’re hot enough already, girl!
- Cut caffeine. For some women, even that morning cup of coffee can trigger hot flashes later in the day. For that matter, any hot drink can prompt a hot flash.
- Avoid alcohol. Red wine, especially, is a culprit for many.
- Quit smoking. Yet another reason to quit!
- Skip your hot bath at night. An overheated you, headed to bed, is a recipe for a rough night of sleep.
What can you do to mitigate these irritating manifestations of your maturing self?
- Reframe the flash. These are power surges, lady, launching you into a new and very powerful phase of life. Having an accepting mindset helps bring calm and reduce anxiety, which in turn can reduce severity and frequency of flares.
- Breathe through a hot flash. Slow, steady, deep breathing can help lessen a hot flash, regardless of what triggered it.
- Meditation can mellow you… in mind and body temperature.
- Stay hydrated. This helps regulate body temps.
- Dress in layers. You never know when you’re going to need to shed!
- Keep your bedroom cool at night. Hubby gets all the blankets, you get a sheet. ‘Bout right.
- Get your exercise early in the day. It can take the body several hours to cool down at the core.
Girl, this is real. If you’re serious about taming hot flashes, implement as many of these tips as you can. The more you employ, the better your odds of a cooler outcome.
What about you?
What do you do to mitigate hot flashes?