Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
What are hot flashes?
Hot flashes are a common menopause symptom experienced by many women. It is a feeling of flushing, increased skin temperature or blotchy red skin on the face, the neck, upper arms, torso or even the entire body.
What causes hot flashes?
Hot flashes occur when the body is unable to maintain a balanced body temperature. Part of estrogen’s actions in the body is to maintain a balanced body temperature. When estrogen levels are reduced due to menopause, to body is unable to maintain a balanced body temperature and symptoms such as hot flashes occur.
What happens when a hot flash occurs?
An increase in blood flow to the affect area causes an increase in skin temperature, resulting in a flush or red blotchy skin. Hot flashes can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes and they can be strong or mild. Hot flashes are usually accompanied by sweating or night sweats as that is the way our bodies cool itself down.
What triggers hot flashes?
There are often triggers that start a hot flash. Common triggers for hot flashes are:
- stress
- heavy blankets
- hot water bottles
- spicy foods
- warm rooms
- alcohol
- coffee or tea (caffeine)
How are hot flashes treated?
Hot flashes can be treated with traditional drugs or natural therapies. Natural therapies for hot flashes include:
- Black cohosh
- Dong quai
- Phytoestrogens from:
- Sage
- Red clover
- Wild yam
- Alfalfa
- Liquorice Root
Drug free management can also be of great benefit in relieving hot flashes, try:
- relaxing and taking slow, deep breaths whenever a hot flash occurs (take 6 breaths per minute)
- dressing lightly and in layers
- choosing natural fabrics for clothing, such as cotton
- avoiding caffeine, alcohol and spicy foods
- eating soy foods rich in phytoestrogens, like tofu and miso
February 22nd, 2006 at 4:29 pm
I am 19 years old and have symptoms of hot flashes. I am a very out-going, friendly, popular person most of the time, but when I am put on the spot or feel paranoid that people think I’m lying about something (even though I’m not) I can feel my skin on my face, ears, neck, and chest getting hot. This makes me more nervous because they can see how I’m feeling. When I look in the mirror there are spots on my checks, neck, arms of bright red. It makes me so embarassed and have anxiety of confrontational situations or being caught off-gaurd. I don’t exactly know where this came from, but it’s been getting worse as I have gotten older. It’s humiliating, especially since I’m a musical performer and have always felt natural and warm in front of audiences and people before.
Help!
July 3rd, 2007 at 12:41 am
hello my dear..
you are NOT having hot flashes in conjunction with perimenopause.. you are having anxiety or stress.. or a simple panic attack.
hot flashes come out of no-where.. you can be watching tv. reading a book or simply shopping at the store.. I first felt them last year and they happen 3 to 5 times a day and all thru the night.
these is the process of getting old and the reproductive system shutting down and the non-release of an egg.
you would know if they are hot flashes and they only happen in older women who are nearing the end of their period or cessation of it.
you need to take something for anxiety.. as for me i have been dealing with these HOT flashes with drinking lots of cold water. thinking that would help and sleeping with a fan.
TRUST me when you are my age 49 .. sooner age or later. you will know the difference.
October 5th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
I am 19 and i just had a baby about a month ago and the last week i have been experiencing really bad hot flashes and i feel like im suffocating thats how hot i get, also i have noticed that im really moody lately, do you think any thing is wrong?
October 24th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
Mandie,
You should see your OB-GYN for a follow-up. Post-partum symptoms vary, but your health care professional is the best person to evaluate what’s going on. Hope your baby is doing well!
May 26th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Hello, My name is Denise and I think I may be going through menoupause or perimenopause. I still have a period every month. I feel that I am suffocating at times and other times just out of the blue my face will turn red. This has been going on for about 5 or 6 years. It started when I was about 35 or 36. Can you please tell me. Can you still have a period and be menoupausle. oh, and I have been put on Lexapro because it seems that a week or two before my periods I get really bad panic attacks. Thanks,Denise
September 24th, 2008 at 5:57 am
hello, my name is lisa ive bin having hot flushes since i was about 13 the doctors thought i was going through the change but i wasnt but i dont no whats going on with my body.When i get them i go burning hot,i fill a bit sick and i get a headach as well i hope some one can help me.thanks lisa
December 15th, 2008 at 8:17 am
Excellent Article!
December 16th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Hello, my name is Kari and my doctor just took me off birth control (yaz)
and since I’ve stopped taking the pill I have hot flashes throughout the day and night (to numerous to count) and I’ve not had a period. I was on Yaz because I was having mood swings. Am I now in full swing menopause?
December 17th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Hello I’m 16 and I suffer from hot flushes. I think it might be due to my caffiene intake which varies from 30-90mg per day. Last time I checked my pulse was about 105 - my doctor nearly fainted. Is there anything I can do to stop my got flushes without having to quit caffiene? Thanks~
January 2nd, 2009 at 11:59 pm
hello, am 29 years old and since about 2 months now i having hot flushes every day and at every moment. and i dont know what to do because it’s very distubing.
April 6th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
hello, i am 23 years old and i dont know if i am having hot flashes, when i sleep, i wake up in the middle of the night feeling sweety, my skin feels so hot to the touch, i mean if i were wearing flamable clothing it probly would catch on fire!. but i just ignore it and try to sleep it off, the next time i wake up my body is cool. does it sound like its a hot flash?
thank you
April 29th, 2009 at 3:47 am
hi ya i dont no if im going through the change but ive been gettin hot flushes n yesterday i had 3 in one day.i woke up in morning and i was sweating n i could feel it dripping on my back.i had the coil fitted 6months ago.i also get discomfort in my pelvis n in my tummy i was diagnosed with crohns diease when i was 4 but docters have said im fine.please help me as im worried.thanx u
May 5th, 2009 at 10:45 am
Hi, this is Mel I’m 36 and here is what’s happening to me…
NIGHT SWEATS
For years I had severe night sweats every night, I would go to bed in dry pajamas and wake up during the night with sweat all over my body, by morning my pajamas were wet, similar to the sweat of a fever.
I went through a cleanse 4 years ago and that was the first time my night sweats went away. Since then eating healthy, drinking lots of water and cutting back my Coke caffeine intake has helped take away my night sweats. I occasionally get them back but never like I did before. For me I believe living a stressful, emotionally toxic life lead to my nightly night sweats. I’m now living a less stressful life, eating better and taking much better care of myself emotionally and physically.
HOT FLASHES
Since July 2008 I have begun to have Hot Flashes. They are around my period, mostly right before or sometimes during. It feels as if a wave of heat, pressure and constriction goes across my entire body. It usually starts in my head and chest area and then moves to the rest of my body. This usually lasts for 2 to 3 days and is only at night. It starts when begin to fade off to sleep. When I am having the hot flashes I have them all night long. Which leads to very strange dreams and not a good nights sleep.
I’m currently off of birth control because it causes me to have migraines.
I’ve no children and have never been pregnant.
May 21st, 2009 at 10:27 am
i am 19 get hot flushes nearly every week. aalways feel really tired and drained and have to go to my bed at 9 oclock every nite. i also get rashes, and sore heads. is there any reason for this??
June 1st, 2009 at 3:11 pm
okay.. here is my comment… I am 29 yrs old. I been getting some systems of this feeling when i was sixteen. Not saying there where hot flashes… I had a horrible period during my teens.did birth control for 3 years and stopped since i wasnt with my man anymore, and nor sexually active. Okay so Now.. as I got to the age 22 i was getting these way for frequent then as I should. I get this Hot rush from my feet to my head and sometimes breaks me in small sweats. I was pregnant at one time and lost her 2 wks before my 29th birthday this year in Jan 09. I still had these hot flashes as i was prego. My question is ..??? Am i going thru this Woman thing to early?? This is no Anxiety attack.. TRUST me. I never had that problem. Please give me something to act on. I sweat sometimes in my sleep and have to change my my top…. its an horrible feeling. I do walk a lot most of the time, however i can get a hot Flash in seconds.. a room… outside.. take me a while to cool down.
Please give a comment back. Just want feed back. My mother is worried that I may be going thru woman hood quiet quickly!!!
Thanks for reading
Alessandra