Taming Hot Flashes with Mindfulness Techniques

Hot flashes are one of the most common symptoms of menopause, affecting around 85% of women. When estrogen declines, it throws off our thermoregulatory control. This results in abnormal responses by the body to try to cool you down, even when you are experiencing minor increases in core body temperature.

During a hot flash, you’ll feel a sudden rise in body temperature, an increase in heart rate and sweating. Your skin will flush, and it’s common to experience a spike in feelings of stress and anxiety. You may even notice heart palpitations or dizziness.

Alternative Strategies to Manage Hot Flashes

Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) and non-hormonal medications help reduce the frequency and severity of hot flashes. However, some women are not good candidates based on their medical history, or they prefer to try non-prescription options.

Whether or not you choose to take medication, experts often recommend starting first by reducing hot flashes by modifying triggers and through exercise, diet and mindfulness strategies.

• Exercise regularly. Exercise that increases your heart rate and makes you sweat can actually help your body get better at regulating your temperature and may reduce hot flashes.
• Balance blood sugar. Spiking blood sugar levels can trigger a hot flash. Eating regularly and prioritizing whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and fatty fish in your diet may help control hot flashes.
• Skip the coffee. It may be time to rethink your relationship with caffeine. For some, caffeinated drinks are a clear hot flash trigger.
• Rethink alcohol. Alcohol in general, and specifically red wine, is a well-known hot flash trigger. Reducing your alcohol intake, especially at night, may lead to fewer hot flashes and sleep disturbance.
• Try yoga. While the evidence is mixed on the ability of yoga to relieve hot flashes, some women do experience benefits. Spending time on the mat can improve sleep and ease menopause symptoms like stress and anxiety, which are well-known hot flash triggers.

Taming Hot Flashes with Mindfulness and Meditation Strategies

Stress is a common factor in hot flashes. Feeling anxious and stressed activates your body’s fight-or-flight response, which frequently triggers a hot flash. Turning down your stress through mindfulness and meditation can help you reduce both the frequency and severity of hot flashes.

Mindfulness

A study of 110 peri- and postmenopausal women concluded that mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques both reduced stress and decreased the frequency and severity of hot flashes. During the study, participants learned a range of mindfulness exercises, including body scans, sitting meditation focusing on the breath, and mindful stretching. They were also encouraged to pay attention to their breath during everyday activities.

Meditation

A recent study found that women who had meditated at least once a week for at least six months had fewer menopause symptoms, including depressed mood and irritability.

Breathwork

Paced breathing is both a stress reduction technique and a way to tame a hot flash while it’s happening. One study showed that practicing paced breathing twice a day reduced the intensity and length of hot flashes by up to 52%.

A simple paced breathing strategy is to:

1. Breathe in for 4 seconds
2. Hold your breath for 1 second
3. Breathe out four four seconds.

Relax your abdomen to allow it to expand gently as you inhale, rather than restricting your breathing to your chest.

Visualization

Another approach for dealing with a hot flash is visualization. Visualization harnesses the power of the mind to cool the body down just by imagining it is in a cool place.

For example, visualize yourself in a peaceful garden, sitting in a cool room or walking beside a creek. You can also imagine the heat leaving your body through your feet or hands.

Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy has also been shown to be effective at reducing hot flashes by helping your brain regulate how you perceive temperature.

Participants in a recent study reported a 74% reduction in hot flashes after weekly hypnotherapy treatment. Hypnotherapy has also been shown to lower anxiety, decrease mood swings and improve sleep.