Summer heat plus menopausal hot flashes equals exhausted and grumpy women! Hot flashes are no fun, and they can last an average of seven years, so finding the best way to deal with them will help you retain your sanity. While menopausal hot flashes are a nuisance, are they something you need medical intervention for? Or, should you just try natural ways to reduce their impact on your life? Now that you are starting to experience hot flashes for yourself, these are the pointers you need to consider.
Lifestyle choices impact hot flashes
There are plenty of published studies on the subject of hot flashes and which of your lifestyle choices affect how often they occur. Drinking coffee, for example, is one trigger for hot flashes. When you drink a cup of coffee, you raise your body temperature. If the body temperature rise occurs when you are already experiencing a hot flash, then your day is going to get a whole lot warmer. Eating spicy foods is another trigger for a rise in body temperature.
This reaction does not mean you have to give up your favourite foodstuffs forever. However, choosing to limit trigger foods and drinks during your hot flash phase will bring you some heat relief.
However, if you are not able to make any difference to your hot flashes by changing diet, is it now time for you to see a doctor?
When to seek medical intervention for hot flashes
The prime reason to see a doctor about your hot flashes is when they begin to interfere with your sleep patterns. Your local GP is the place to start discussions about how your menopause symptoms are interfering with your life. If they feel it necessary, then they will refer you to a gynaecological specialist.
The reason why a hot flash is disturbing to your sleep is that the a rush of adrenaline causes the rise in your body temperature. This adrenaline wakes you up once it reaches your brain. Fragmented rest where a person wakes up continually during the night means you wake up feeling exhausted. This exhaustion impacts mental happiness, your ability to concentrate on your day's tasks and your overall stress levels.
Your doctor will discuss options to reduce the impact of hot flashes on your sleeping patterns. There is medication available on prescription which targets menopause symptoms. Current health issues will determine which drug is prescribed to you.
Once hot flashes impact your sleep patterns, or start to make you feel miserable all the time, then contact your GP so you can stop them in their tracks and return to a cool, calm and collected state of mind (and body).
