Coping with Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
Hot flashes and night sweats can be the bane of a woman's existence. It's probably the number one most complained about symptom when it comes to being menopausal.
In this video Oni share her experiences with hot flashes, and some tips for coping.
Watch the video above, or read the written summary below.
I had my first hot flash when I was about 34, and it was an eye-opening and clothes-shedding experience!
I was in a movie theater, and like any movie theater it was well air-conditioned. It was crazy — it was suddenly like someone had put a heater under my shirt. The heat traveled up my chest to my neck and to my face, I started to perspire, and I felt a little weird and wonky.
Then when the hot flash subsided, I had crazy shivers and chills, so I really thought that something terrible was wrong. It was scary and weird.
A night sweat is just the hot flash at night. Usually it wakes you up out of a deep sleep and throw the covers off, sweating profusely. A night sweat is very unpleasant, and definitely stops you from waking up refreshed in the morning.
What Causes Hot Flashes?
In the beginning my hot flashes were usually induced by stress or excitement, and so I didn't really have to do too much to keep them under control.
When I started having them more, I started taking an evening primrose oil supplement and a fish soil supplement, and they subsided significantly.
There's a lot of research out there that says soy products help very much with hot flashes. I tend to get breast tenderness and a bit of a beard from soy products, but a lot of women swear by them.
Other Ways to Cope
Dress in layers, because public nudity is not acceptable! Make sure that if you are having a hot flash, you'll be able to take something off.
Use cool, cotton sheets to keep things nice and balanced temperature-wise in the bed at night.
Keep cool water or juice nearby. I like to keep ice nearby because I find that sucking on ice is really good for keeping you cool.
Magnesium is another good supplement for night sweats in particular, because magnesium helps you sleep. It can help you sleep deep enough that you sleep right through the night sweat.
Consult your doctor before you take any supplement, but I have found that magnesium works wonders.
You could try carrying thermal water with you to spritz when a hot flash strikes, and also limiting your caffeine intake.
They also say that women who smoke have more hot flashes than women who don't, so if you smoke, consider quitting.
I also sleep with a personal fan next to my bed to help keep me cool, and a cold towel, maybe with peppermint oil on it, can help get you through, too.
