Night Sweats

Women may experience hot flashes for about 4 to 5 times a day.

Causes of night sweats during menopause

Hot flashes are a characteristic of menopause in which intense heat rises in the head and chest. Because of changed estrogen levels, night sweats occur often.

Are hot flashes common during menopause?

Menopause occurs mostly between the age of 44 and 55 years in women. Some women may face hot flashes without much sweating whereas in some cases, there is so much sweating that they will need to change their clothes more often.

Night sweats are associated with hot flashes, and each episode may last between 1 to 5 minutes.

Causes of menopause

During menopause, there are relatively decreased levels of estrogen in the body. This decrease may be a part of the brain’s attempts at regulating the body temperature. If there are any small changes outside the body, it may lead to sweats, which are mostly during the night.

Some of the changes are

1.         The sensitivity of the skin

2.         The chemical imbalance in the brain

3.         Excessive flow of blood in vessels

Trigger factors:

• Smoking, wearing tight, restrictive clothing
• using heavy blankets or sheets on your bed
• drinking alcohol and caffeine
• eating spicy foods
• being in warm rooms
• experiencing excess stress

Ways in which night sweats can be reduced

Night sweats can be easily controlled in women who are careful with their health.

1. Exercising

Exercising is a good way to reduce the frequency of hot flashes in women, as the body temperature becomes regulated as per the surrounding temperature.

2. Inclusion of soy in food

Adding soy in two or three meals of the day can reduce hot flashes and make them less frequent. Tofu, soybeans, misu, etc. are some foods to one should include in their diet.

3. Eating flax seeds or taking flaxseed supplement capsules or flaxseed oil, which is also called linseed oil, to help reduce hot flashes.

There are other important ways as well through which night sweats can be managed, these are:

1.         The air temperature must be controlled

2.         Relaxation is a must

3.         Keeping a cool refreshing drink with you is imperative at all times.

Using Medication for Night Sweats

Many women find it difficult to control their hot flashes, and it can make them impatient at times. Medication is also an option to reduce night sweats.

1. Hormone therapy

Hormone treatment is one of the best option for women. Women should consult a doctor to know more about ways in which they can tackle hot flashes and achieve effective results.

2. Other hormones

For many people, antidepressants have also helped in the reduction of hot flashes.

 

Conclusion

Night sweats are easy to cope with, but women ought to deal with menopause patiently.

 

Special thanks to Dr. Uma Singh (MBBS, MS) for the expert advice.