Hot flashes, also known as night sweats, are experienced by 80% of women during their menopausal stage. When they experience this, they feel a warm sensation in their faces and upper bodies. Their heartbeat increases, their skin become red and blotchy and they tend to sweat a lot. Here are ways to effectively control night sweats.
One of the symptoms of menopause is night sweats or hot flashes. Menopause is a natural occurrence in women who no longer ovulate as they grow older. It has symptoms that can be very uncomfortable and depressing.
Because of this, medications and natural remedies are done to relieve such symptoms. A lot of women do not like the side effects brought by medicines therefore they stick to home treatments instead. In this article are natural remedies for hot flashes.
A regular workout for 30 minutes will help control this sensation. One can go brisk walking, running, or jogging around the neighborhood. She can also go swimming as this can also help release the tensions in the body which adds to the depression she feels due to menopause.
Exercise lessens the hormones FSH and LH in the body and it heightens the endorphin levels. When eggs are no longer produced by the ovaries, the levels of FSH and LH levels increase which stimulate hot flashes. Endorphins in the mean time stimulate the brain to bring a happier mood.
Because of night sweats, one should always dress in clothes that make her feel cool. It would be best to refrain from wearing tight and restrictive outfits as they encourage stickiness and entrapped heat. With loose clothes, air goes through the body and it gets to move freely.
Alcohol and smoking constrict the blood vessels while caffeine increases the occurrence of hot flashes. Exercise is very important as it helps raise the endorphins in people. Endorphins are hormones that help elevate the mood. Menopause always causes depression in women thus endorphins will lessen such negative feelings.
It is advisable to wear light clothing during menopause. Clothes that are made of cotton and other light fabric are not heavy and hot on the skin. Tight clothes should be avoided as these do not allow air to circulate inside but instead they trap in heat.
At night, it is important to dress thinly and sleep in a cool room. Cotton-made outfits are ideal. When a warm sensation is about to hit the body, it is advisable for one to drink a glass of cold water. One should always have a bottle of cold water on her bedside table just in case night sweats occur.
She should also carry a thermos that has cold water wherever she goes. It is best to avoid coffee, alcohol, caffeine, hot drinks, spicy and warm food as these help women experience night sweats and dehydrate the body.
Instead, eat fruits and vegetables that are rich in water. Examples would be watermelon, cantaloupe, orange, apples, grapes, tomatoes, and cucumbers. To keep one hydrated, it is best to always drink liquids such as water and fruit juices. At night, it is best to drink lukewarm milk to promote good sleep.
Natural Remedies for Hot Flashes
To relieve hot flashes, it is important to include soy in a diet. Soy is known to reduce the symptoms of menopause such as night sweats. Soy can be found in protein drinks, tofu, and tablets. In a day, it is essential to have 40mg to 80 mg of soy in a diet.
Hot flashes are caused by hormonal imbalances such as the decrease of FSH and LH hormones. When one takes in supplements that have flaxseed oil and primrose oil, this will somehow correct the imbalance. Vitamins help get rid of hot flashes naturally.
These include Vitamins E and B. Women can also eat food that are high in such vitamins such as salmon, tuna, green leafy vegetables, mangoes, bananas, lean meats and nuts. However, women with a deficiency of Vitamin K should not take Vitamin E as this can trigger bleeding in the uterus.
Herbal supplements help a woman during the menopausal stage. Black cohosh is a popular supplement taken daily to treat the effects of menopause. It has no side effects when used within a half year’s time.
Black cohosh and red clover are two of the herbal plants that are popular natural remedies for hot flashes. These can be found in capsules and herbal teas. These herbs should be taken at 80 mgs daily to provide estrogenic effects. Licorice with ginseng consumed at 100mg daily can also reduce hot flashes but they can also trigger uterine bleeding.
Red clover and soy are also herbs that are effective as they are rich in isoflavones. Isoflavones have effects like estrogen that reduce night sweats. However, there are talks that this can increase the risk of cancer therefore it would be best to talk to a doctor about the intake of such.
It is important to maintain a healthy weight to relieve menopausal symptoms. A diet should contain mostly low-fat meat, fruits and vegetables that are filled with water to hydrate the body. It is best to avoid a lifestyle that triggers hot flashes such as alcohol, smoking and caffeine.
Another home remedy for night sweats is deep abdominal breathing. One should inhale and exhale slowly for a quarter of an hour. This should be done when she wakes up and before she sleeps at night.
When she wakes up in the middle of the night due to night sweats, she must then use this deep breathing technique until she feels mentally and physically calm. With these home remedies, hot flashes can be combated by every woman.
Deep breathing techniques help reduce hot flashes. For 15 minutes, one should inhale and exhale slowly and deeply. This has been known to stop hot flashes from occurring.
Another effective method when hot flashes occur is lying on a chilled pillow. You can get your pillow and chill it inside a refrigerator or freezer. Women lie down on a cold pillow and find their night sweats subsiding.
When these natural remedies for hot flashes are done, menopause would be a tolerable stage for women.
Latest posts by admin (see all)
- - July 1, 2016
- Fun Things to do With Your Kids to Enhance Better Parenting - June 29, 2016
- Your Health is in Your Hands When You Travel Abroad - June 27, 2016