Hot flushes are a common symptom thought to rise indirectly from lower oestrogen levels, which affect a part of the brain called the hypothalamus, which regulates temperature, sweating and flushing. As the menopause approaches these other systems can go awry, leading to hot flushes and night sweats.
Symptoms such as hot flushes may be hereditary: around 1 in 4 women have no significantly troublesome problems, 1 in 4 have severe symptoms and the other half have symptoms that can be coped with by tweaking their diet and making lifestyle changes.
For some, symptoms improve within a few months, but most women continue to have hot flushes for at least a year after the menopause, and 1 in 2 will continue to have flushes for as long as 5 years. Around 29% of women over 60 still experience some hot flushes, but eventually they will stop as the body and hypothalamus get used to lower oestrogen levels. Ways to minimise the flushes are:
- Keep active with regular exercise.
- Eat isoflavones found in: beans, dark green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds (especially flaxseeds), fresh and dried fruits, and herbs (especially rosemary and sage).
- Try supplements - soy isoflavones, sage leaf tea, black cohosh.
- Stop smoking (it increases the risk of flushing).
- Eat little and often; the heat generated by digesting large meals can bring on or aggravate flushing.
- Avoid stress; the adrenal glands produce small amounts of oestrogen which drops during times of stress. Relaxation techniques such as yoga and breathing exercises can also help.
- Stay cool - hot rooms can aggravate flushing.
- Steer clear of triggers such as: alcohol, spicy foods, hot drinks and high indoor temperatures.
- Avoid caffeine (in tea, coffee, cola and chocolate) - try decaff coffee.
- Wear layers of thin clothes you can take off when a flush strikes.
- Natural fibres (cotton and linen) are better for clothes and bed linen than synthetic fibres and silk, which can aggravate flushes.
Duvets are now being made with different tog levels for couples.
- One such company is Nanu. The duvet is also eco-friendly with a hollow fibre filling made from recycled plastic bottles. (Review in Daily Mail 29 Sept. 2019.)
