What are hot flashes?
Hot flashes present as a sudden feeling of warmth in the face, neck and chest (WHO 1996). They are accompanied by redness of the skin and sweat; They may be followed by shivering as core body temperature drops. They can be occasional or frequent, and can last from a few seconds to an hour, they are spontaneous and unpredictable.
Those produced during the night are called night sweats. If hot flashes are repeated and intense, they can affect a woman’s quality of life.
What can cause hot flashes?
It is known that the deficiency or absence of estrogen plays an important role in the symptoms.
There is no consensus on the physiology of hot flashes in menopause, but there are several studies that associate vasomotor symptoms with a greater risk of cardiovascular diseases, since the presence of hot flashes during menopause indicates a higher degree of oxidative stress, although not all studies are concordant.
What to do to avoid having hot flashes?
With lifestyle changes like these, we can relieve mild symptoms:
- Regulate the room temperature. We must ensure that the temperature of the space where we are is not too high. If the heating is turned on, it should be at moderate levels and in the hot months it is essential to have ventilation or cooling. It is also important to avoid sudden changes in temperature.
- Take care of your diet. You can also improve it with diet through a menopause diet. For example: Do not eat hot, spicy or highly seasoned foods. Avoid alcohol and coffee (exciting). It is important to eat a healthy and balanced diet since being overweight and obese can predispose a woman to suffer more intense or frequent hot flashes.
- The best diet is Mediterranean, that is, a diet based on fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, fish, dairy products and meat in balanced proportions. The contribution of vegetable fiber is very interesting since it captures free sugars and prevents increases in the glycemic index and thus the accumulation of fats.
- Good hydration is essential. Drink 1.5 -2 liters of water a day, not only with meals.
- No Smoking. Various studies indicate that smoking is associated with the appearance of more severe hot flashes.
- Do physical exercise regularly. Physical exercise is one of the beneficial options for health that can also be an effective treatment of vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause. It may have a similar effect to THS (thyroid stimulating hormone) in terms of relieving vasomotor symptoms, it may help stabilize the thermoregulation center and reduce the appearance of hot flashes. It seems that more studies are needed to confirm this, but the truth is that exercise helps improve mental health by being a distraction and disconnecting from worries.
- Lead a quiet life. Stress and nervous situations can aggravate the situation.
- Breathing and relaxation techniques. At the time of suffocation, you can take breaths: take in and release air slowly to try to relax.
- Without these measures you cannot avoid the dreaded hot flashes, there are:
- Pharmacological treatments: Hormonal treatments to relieve hot flashes and night sweats. In addition to hormone replacement therapy, there are other drugs (SSRIs) such as Paroxetine, whose treatment has been approved to treat hot flashes.
- Other alternative treatments: phytotherapy (phytoestrogens), acupuncture.
- Remember that before taking anything you should consult with your doctor or Dietitian-Nutritionist first since some plants may have contraindications, interact negatively with some medications or interfere with other treatments.
- For night sweats, it is recommended to use natural fiber sheets, do not cover yourself too much, and ensure that the room is ventilated and has a moderate temperature.
- Finally, it is important not to get overwhelmed, we know that it is a very annoying symptom, but it passes. If it happens to you in public, don’t worry, try to relax as much as possible. Breathe, drink water, bring some wipes to refresh yourself and even, if the sweating is heavy, bring a spare t-shirt.
