Hot Flushes Late at Night
Q&A: Hot flashes at night
While these hot flushes may be exceedingly uncomfortable or distressing, when armed with just a little knowledge, women can fully combat this nuisance and reclaim their nights.
What are hot flushes at night?
Hot flushes at night are caused by the same mechanisms that cause hot flushes during the day. As estrogen levels decrease rapidly, the hypothalamus region of the brain responds by sending a woman's body temperature sky high for a few moments. Hot flushes and hot flushes late at night are usually characterized by a burst of warmth that radiates through a woman's body for as long as thirty seconds.
While all women experience hot flushes at night differently, a few universal characteristics exist. These include:
• Intense, quickly dissipating heat
• Rapid heart rate
• Flushed skin
• Nausea
• Faintness
• Anxiety
• Excessive perspiration
How can I manage hot flushes at night?
Women can usually manage their hot flushes at night by incorporating a few alterations to their daily lives and evening routines. With a few simple changes, a woman can go from perpetual restless nights, to uninterrupted blissful sleep.
Room Temperature Regulation
Keeping a window cracked, turning on a fan, or lowering the temperature on the thermostat are all simple ways to help reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flushes late at night.
Avoiding Certain Foods
Women who consume spicy foods or excessive caffeine or alcohol shortly before bed are putting themselves at a higher risk of experiencing hot flushes at night.
Light Bed Linens
Women can easily avoid excessive heat at night by sleeping in a bed outfitted with lighter, breathable fabrics, like cotton or linen. If it is too cold to sleep under a thin sheet, lightweight blankets might do the trick. Finding the right balance between warm and cold can be difficult, and it may take some trial and error to find the best method.
Cool Beverages
Keeping ice water or some other refreshing drink handy at night time is another good way to help keep body temperatures in check. Women can try drinking a cool drink before bed and then keep another on the nightstand in case they feel a hot flush coming on.
More Information about Hot Flushes at Night
Women who want to learn more about hot flushes at night and their various treatment options can explore these links detailing the different hot flashes treatment categories:
• Lifestyle changes
• Alternative medicines
• Prescription drugs
It is important to discuss these options with a trusted doctor before making any important medical decisions.
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Menopause hot flashes
Hot Flashes and Night Sweats Treatments
Hot flashes and hysterectomy
