Hot flushes & night sweats

Hot flushes are known as “vasomotor symptoms” – a type of hormone-related temperature instability. There is still a lot that doctors don’t know about exactly how hot flushes and night sweats work. What they do know is that there is a link between lower oestrogen levels during the menopause transition and how the brain manages temperature change. The hypothalamus, the part of the brain that manages body temperature (among other things), may become more sensitive to even slight changes in body temperature.

Think of walking into a slightly warmer room, or drinking hot caffeinate drink (like our favourite coffee), being in a stressful situation, or even a relaxing glass of wine. Anything that could trigger your brain into thinking that the body is overheating, could cause the hypothalamus to start working to cool your body, and quickly. This is what leads to increased sweating, flushing (red face, blotching red skin), increased heart rate – even though your body isn’t actually overheating.

Here are a couple of things that you can do to help manage hot flushes and night sweats during menopause.

• Know your triggers. Everyone is different, but we know that there are common things that can cause hot flushes such as: caffeine, smoking, alcohol, spicy foods and hot drinks. So it’s worth taking the time to figure out what your triggers are, and work to minimise them in your life. Keeping a diary and or using a menopause symptom tracker can help you figure out what your triggers are. Common triggers include: (Keep an eye out for Daliah’s symptom tracker that we’ll be launching soon!)
• Eating well: You are what you eat – and research tells us that a diet rich in whole foods and plants can help reduce menopause symptoms is a natural way, to help you cope during this time. Adding healthy soy products such as soy milk, tempeh, tofu or edamame – which contain isoflavone compounds that mimic natural oestrogen – can help reduce the severity of menopause symptoms. Including legumes (like chickpeas and lentils) and ground flaxseed in your diet may also help, although there isn’t definitive research about how much you need to make a real difference. But it’s worth a try, as these foods have multiple health benefits.
• Dress for success: Getting practical about your environment and what you wear, can also help relieve hot flushes. Wearing loose clothes made from natural fibres (such as cotton, bamboo, linen, and viscose) can make you more comfortable when sweating. Using a fan, lowering the air conditioning and ensuring your bedroom is cool at night, can all help keep your environment cool and lessen the chance of a trigger.
• Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Consider talking to your doctor to find out if HRT is suitable for you. HRT isn’t for everyone, and there are ways to manage your menopause related symptoms through lifestyle adjustments, taking quality supplements and wellness therapies. But if you find your symptoms are having a severe impact on your quality of life, relationships or work, HRT may help you – even if just for a short while.