How to Survive Hot Flashes without Killing Someone

If you have ever experienced hot flashes you know how uncomfortable they can be. The intense heat combined with increased perspiration and raging heartbeat at the most inopportune times is par for the course.

One of the most common side effects of hot flashes is irritability. For your own sanity and those around you it is important to comprehend the triggers and remedies of these unpleasant times.

Top Triggers of Hot Flashes

  • Caffeine – avoiding coffee, teas, soda pop and all caffeinated beverages can actually lessen the impact of hot flashes.
  • Stress – eliminating triggers such as stress, whether at work or home can allow you live more peacefully and less stressed out.
  • Alcohol – alcohol dehydrates and can cause irritability when consumed in high quantities.
  • Warm rooms – when you are already warm, the last thing you want is to walk into a hot room. Avoiding hot and stuffy rooms can lessen the impact of a hot flash.
  • Hot & spicy foods – spicy foods can elevate your body’s temperature and in doing so makes you more susceptible to hot flashes.
  • Hot showers – similar to a hot room, hot water pouring down on you can cause a hot flash to occur and its side effects to stay longer.
  • Hot weather – avoid going outside when the weather is hot and stay in an air conditioned room.
  • Hot tub or Jacuzzi – hot tubs, like hot showers, can cause you to overheat even after you step out of the water.  Avoiding a hot tub will do your body good!
  • Smoking – let’s face it, smoking is not good for you and can even exacerbate hot flashes and symptoms that surround these spells.
  • Clothing – warm clothing, such as wool or hot sweaters can cause you to overheat. It is important to wear clothes that are naturally breathable, such as cotton.

Best Home Remedies for Hot Flashes: Tips for Survival

Hot flashes can happen anytime and anyplace, leaving the victim overheated, red-faced and sweaty.  According to the Mayo Clinic most cases of hot flashes are caused by menopause.  In fact, as many as three out of four women may experience hot flashes as they enter menopause.

Knowing how to handle hot flashes at home is crucial to the survival or yourself as well as those around you.  Some of the best tips for surviving these episodes are as follows:

  •  Relaxation

When everything and everyone is moving around you, it is important to slow down and relax.  This is especially true when dealing with hot flashes.  They can disrupt your daily activities and in order to avoid the stress of not being able to conquer what you would normally, finding that place of acceptance in your mind is necessary to successfully combat the symptoms. 

Take time out for you.  Some tried and true remedies include getting eight hours of uninterrupted sleep, taking an afternoon nap or curling up with a good book.

  • Keep your cool

While hot flashes can cause irritability it is important to keep your cool, not only your mood but also your body.  Cool clothing, such as cotton or linen will help you to maintain a lower body temperature.  Your blood won’t be boiling when someone cuts you off at the intersection if you dress the part.

Tight clothing can also cause body heat to become trapped and you to feel hotter.  According to WebMD, wearing light layers of clothing that you can peel off may help.  Clothing that contains natural fibers, such as cotton, are good choices.

  • Take a deep breath

Pacing your breaths in a slow and deep manner may actually decrease hot flashes.  It takes some getting used to, and practice makes perfect but once you get the hang of it the technique can help.  This technique does not have to be done all day, but doctors recommend that 15 minutes of deep breathing twice daily can be extremely helpful.

In order to get the hang of it, start by sitting in a comfortable location.  A chair or recliner is perfect.  Take a deep breath for about five seconds and concentrate on pushing your abdominal muscles out.  Exhale for another five seconds while pulling your stomach muscles inward and upward.  This technique can be repeated for about 15 minutes. 

  • Hit the gym

Exercising on a regular basis will not only help combat the hot flashes, but give you that positive mental boost to eliminate negativity.  It is important not to overheat, so you may need to avoid training for that half-marathon coming up in a month, but swimming, dancing, walking and cycling are all good choices.

Having fun while working out is also important.  Get your girlfriend or daughter and head to the gym for a cycling or water aerobics class.  Laughing and talking while working out will also keep you in a positive mind-set.

Hot flashes may be impossible to avoid completely but there are still home remedies that can help lessen the symptoms and assist you in being a more pleasant person to be around and prevent you from causing anyone physical harm!

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Publish Date: Thu, 02/10/2011 - 18:09
Categories: Health, Women's Sexual Health