What Causes Hot Flashes?

Waking up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat? Hot flashes can come on suddenly & really put a damper in your day & overall mood. They can often be accompanied by a pounding heart and rapid breathing. Although hot flashes aren’t dangerous to your health, they can make life very uncomfortable for women who experience them frequently or severely. What causes the body to feel like it's burning up? Let's take a look!

Hot flashes & menopause

Hot flashes are a common symptom of menopause. They typically begin a few years before or after a woman's last period. Hot flashes are caused by the drop in estrogen levels during this time, which causes blood vessels to narrow and then expand rapidly, causing heat sensations that can be felt on the skin. The hot flash occurs when your body temperature rises and you start sweating, often with goosebumps on your skin as well. Although hot flashes can be uncomfortable for some women, they are not dangerous and do not cause any serious health problems like heart attacks or strokes (unless you already have these conditions).

Estrogen levels aren’t the only thing that affects hot flashes.

If you’re experiencing hot flashes, you may be tempted to blame the sudden increase in your body temperature on menopause or aging. But many factors can cause them, including:

• stress

• weight gain/loss

• medications (steroids and anti-depressants)

• being overweight or underweight

One big trigger is stress.

One big trigger for hot flashes is stress. Stress can be mental or physical, and it can come from many different sources. It could be a job that's too demanding, a family member who makes you anxious, or even a health condition. All these things can make you feel anxious, which can cause your body to release adrenaline and other hormones that lead to hot flashes.

Some foods and drinks can also play a role.

Certain foods and drinks can also play a role in your hot flashes.

• Spicy foods: Hot chili peppers, such as jalapenos, cayenne pepper and chili powder can trigger hot flashes. Studies show that eating spicy food may increase body temperature by up to 0.4 F (0.2 C), which may cause you to sweat more and experience a higher heart rate than normal.

• Alcohol: Drinking alcohol can raise your body temperature, dehydrate you, and increase blood flow to the skin — both of which make it easier for you to feel warm or overheated during a hot flash episode. The more alcohol you drink, the longer it will take for your body temperature to return to normal after drinking stops (this process takes about 2-3 hours).

Managing symptoms

Hot flashes are a normal part of menopause, and there’s no way to avoid them completely. However, you can reduce your risk by making some lifestyle changes. Eating a low-fat diet, getting plenty of sleep and exercising regularly. Because your hormones play a vital role in hot flash episodes, it's important to ensure they are balanced to manage these symptoms. Bio-identical hormone optimization releases a steady stream of hormones to help you feel younger & contribute to your overall well-being.

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Bioidentical hormone optimization may be the answer you've been looking for if you want to safely & naturally help with menopause symptoms & hormone imbalance.

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