One of the biggest side effects of menopause and the most uncomfortable is having hot flashes. Hot flashes can happen to anyone going through this stage of her life, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t help out there. The following methods are all-natural and can be very effective.
Make Sure You Hydrate
If you are struggling with hot flashes and night sweats during menopause, the culprit might be dehydration. Many women drink water throughout the day but aren’t drinking enough of it. Remember that you need extra water when exerting yourself during workouts or when it is especially hot out. If you are spending more time outdoors, you need to increase your water intake. One good way to tell if you are probably hydrated is by looking at the color of your urine. The clearer it is, the more hydrated you are.
Wear Breathable Clothes
The hot flashes tend to be worse at night when you start getting night sweats. It often feels like nothing you do will take away the intense heat you experience, making it really hard to sleep properly. One way to combat this is by wearing more breathable fabrics. Wear fewer layers, ditch the pants and socks, and look for ‘cooling’ clothing materials. Many retailers now sell pajamas specifically for people who get hotter than normal, so these can help tremendously. If you can’t find them, cotton is usually a safe bet for sleep clothes.
Stop Eating Spicy Foods
There are even dietary changes you can make that will help to cool you off during the day. One of the recommendations is to stop eating spicy foods. The spice tends to peek at the internal cooling system in your body, even more so when you are going through menopause. If you tend to like hot and spicy foods, you might notice that your hot flashes are becoming more common. The best thing you can do is start to limit how much spicy food you eat.
Change Your Sleeping Environment
Your bedroom itself can also be what is making the heat worse at night. Try to keep a fan blowing on you or sleep next to an open window for cool, fresh air at night. There are also mattress pads and pillows that provide cooling power so that you are not too hot at night. Using a light-down comforter is better than a thick comforter that provides too much warmth.